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Maternal Time Allocation and the Nutritional Status of Preschoolers in selected Rice-based Communities in Quezon Province
Thesis Abstract:
Ninety-five mother-and-child pairs were the subject of this study, covering four survey periods of one rice cropping cycle.
Mean market work time was lowest at land preparation period and highest at harvesting. A combined decrease in household chore time and child care time compensated for the increase in market work time. Working mothers had a higher percentage of child care time devoted to child feeding (48% vs. 37%). Breastfeeding mothers had higher child care time devoted to child feeding (51% of 131 minutes) than non-breastfeeding mothers (34% of 96 minutes).
Twenty-eight percent of the children aged 6-36 months were underweight for their age. There were more children of normal nutritional status among working mothers than that of non-working mothers. A descriptive analysis of the socioeconomic factors indicated that low income, big household size, and poor environmental conditions were predisposing factors of malnutrition.
Using multiple regression analysis, it was found out that type of feeding (in favor of breastfeeding), nutrient adequacy, and child feeding time positively and significantly influenced nutritional status. Income was not significantly related to nutritional status, however, its positive and significant effect on nutrient adequacy implied an indirect but positive relation to nutritional status. Also, work status did not show a significant relation to either nutritional status or nutrient adequacy but it positively and significantly influenced income.
The study concluded that the mother's work time does not necessarily have a negative effect on the nutritional status of the child owing to income as an intervening factor. Moreover, the mother's control over child feeding time, as consistently shown by higher percentage of child care time devoted to child feeding, cushioned the potential negative effect of increased work time on nutritional status.
It was recommended.that other work alternatives be explored among rice farming mothers to offset negative effects on food availability as influenced by seasonal rice production. However, activities that would run in conflict with child care, particularly breastfeeding, should be considered. Nutrition education should also target the other members of the household as capable mother role-substitutes.