Evidence of interventions that are effective in improving exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) practices is needed to help countries revise their strategies. To assess whether mothers who had participated in the Nutrition at the Centre (N@C) project effectively demonstrated better EBF practices than did those who did not participate, we documented the processes of this nutritional intervention in Benin. This study was a cross-sectional design comparing the intervention group, namely, the Village Saving and Loan Association (VSLA-N@C), to the control group. The N@C project was an educational intervention based on behavioural and social changes related to nutrition. Through VSLA groups installed in communities, mothers were connected to the project; had weekly discussions around the process, benefits and challenges linked to EBF, and advocated during Breastfeeding Week celebrations. The study participants were mothers with children aged 4–5.5 months from the VSLA-N@C group (n = 53) and mothers (n = 50) from non-intervention areas who served as controls. With the deuterium oxide dose-to-mother technique, we quantified human milk intake (HMI) and non-milk oral intake (NMOI) and compared both groups using Student’s t-test. A child is considered to be exclusively breastfed if the NMOI is less than 86.6 g/day. Multivariate regression logistics adjusted for VSLA membership, mothers’ body mass index, and children’s age, weight-for-age and weight-for-length, thus enabling us to measure differences in EBF rates. Children of mothers from the VSLA-N@C group consumed significantly more human milk than those of mothers in the control group (900.2 ± 152.5 g/day vs 842.2 ± 188.6 g/day, P = 0.044). Children in the VSLA-N@C group had significantly less non-milk oral intake than did those in the control group (difference: 148.2 g/day, P = 0.000). Therefore, the EBF rate was significantly higher in the VSLA group (38% vs 8%, P < 0.0001), and mothers in VSLAs were 14 times more likely to practise EBF than were those in the control group (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 13.9, 95% CI 1.9–116.5, P = 0.015). The EBF rate was significantly higher in the group of mothers who participated in the VSLA-N@C project than in those who did not receive the intervention. The N@C model could be promoted as a strategy for increasing EBF practices in poor and rural contexts, where it is possible to organize mothers into VSLA groups to discuss the process, benefits and challenges of EBF.

中文翻译：

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通过妇女团体参与“中心营养”项目改善了纯母乳喂养做法（通过氧化氘剂量母亲技术进行测量）。


需要有有效改善纯母乳喂养 (EBF) 做法的干预措施的证据来帮助各国修改其战略。为了评估参与营养中心 (N@C) 项目的母亲是否比未参与的母亲有效地表现出了更好的 EBF 实践，我们记录了贝宁这一营养干预的过程。本研究是一项横断面设计，将干预组（即村庄储蓄贷款协会（VSLA-N@C））与对照组进行比较。 N@C 项目是一项基于与营养相关的行为和社会变化的教育干预措施。通过在社区设立的 VSLA 小组，母亲们与该项目建立了联系；每周围绕 EBF 的流程、好处和挑战进行讨论，并在母乳喂养周庆祝活动期间进行倡导。研究参与者是来自 VSLA-N@C 组的 4-5.5 个月大孩子的母亲 (n = 53) 和来自非干预地区的母亲 (n = 50) 作为对照。通过氧化氘剂量技术，我们量化了母乳摄入量 (HMI) 和非奶口服摄入量 (NMOI)，并使用学生 t 检验对两组进行比较。如果 NMOI 低于 86.6 克/天，则认为儿童纯母乳喂养。多元回归逻辑根据 VSLA 会员资格、母亲的体重指数和儿童的年龄、年龄别体重和身长别体重进行调整，从而使我们能够衡量 EBF 率的差异。 VSLA-N@C 组母亲的孩子比对照组母亲的孩子消耗更多的母乳（900.2 ± 152.5 克/天 vs 842.2 ± 188.6 克/天，P = 0.044）。 VSLA-N@C 组儿童的非牛奶口服摄入量显着少于对照组儿童（差异：148.2 克/天，P = 0.000）。因此，VSLA 组的 EBF 率显着较高（38% vs 8%，P < 0.0001），VSLA 组的母亲进行 EBF 的可能性是对照组的 14 倍（调整后的比值比 [AOR] ] = 13.9，95% CI 1.9–116.5，P = 0.015）。参与 VSLA-N@C 项目的母亲组的 EBF 率显着高于未接受干预的母亲组。 N@C 模式可以作为在贫困和农村环境中增加 EBF 实践的战略进行推广，在这种情况下，可以将母亲组织成 VSLA 小组来讨论 EBF 的过程、好处和挑战。