COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING PRACTICES AMONG MOTHERS OF 6 TO 24 MONTHS OLD INFANTS' AND EXPLORING POTENTIAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO SUPPORT THEM

Complementary feeding (CF) should be started after six months to the infants for their growth and development. CF practices amongst the mothers of 6-24 months old subjects were studied and importance and potential of the application of AI for CF in infants were explored from literatures. A mixed study design was used. 190 subjects were selected through stratified random sampling method and proper inclusion and exclusion criteria were followed. Data was collected from mothers of subjects. It was found that 77.60%, infants from 6 to 8 months age group were offered complementary foods with a thin/liquid consistency. 100% subjects fed CF for 1 to 2 times and 16.32% fed for 5 times. 48.42% respondent mothers feeding high calorie food during fever, 44.74% respondents did not give electrolytes/ ORS during diarrhoea and fever. Majority of the subjects drink 120 to 240 ml water daily. It was found that 72.11% participants introduces all tastes and foods to child gradually and slowly in an empty stomach. Only 37.89% participants feed malted food to infants. After studying complementary feeding and it’s finding AI applications found to be important for the care takers in terms of CF. AI driven application for CF can be helpful to improve healthy CF practices among mothers to improve nutritional status of infants and monitor their growth and development.