An Assessment of Socioeconomic Disparities and Child Feeding Practices among Mothers and Caregivers of Under-Five Children in Kogi State, Nigeria
Child malnutrition remains a persistent public health challenge in Nigeria, with socioeconomic disparities among caregivers identified as a key structural driver of poor nutritional outcomes among children under five. This study assessed the socioeconomic status of mothers and caregivers of under-five children, determined the child feeding and care practices prevailing in Kogi State, Nigeria, and examined the relative weight of socioeconomic disparities in shaping children’s nutritional and welfare status. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory provided the theoretical foundation. A survey research design was adopted, with 400 mothers and caregivers selected through multi-stage sampling across four Local Government Areas, of which 390 responses were usable. Data were analysed using frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations against a criterion mean of 3.00, and hypotheses were tested by multiple linear regression using extreme-group indicators of income and education. Findings revealed a predominantly low socioeconomic profile, with 66.7% of households earning below sixty thousand naira monthly and 84.6% of caregivers holding secondary education or below. Feeding practices recorded a cumulative mean of 3.48, caregivers sustaining exclusive breastfeeding, meal frequency, and hygienic preparation while falling short on dietary diversity and adherence to professional guidance. Neither regression model was significant, F(4, 385) = 0.76, p = .553 and F(4, 385) = 1.42, p = .227, and both null hypotheses were retained, though extreme low income significantly predicted welfare status, indicating a threshold rather than gradient effect. The study concludes that the binding constraint on child nutrition is material rather than informational, and recommends income support of sufficient magnitude to clear extreme poverty.
