Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to explain the dietary habit of lactating mothers in the Ahanta West Municipality of the Western region in terms of their knowledge, socio-economic status and environmental resources. The study used descriptive survey to investigate the dietary habits of lactating mothers. The target population consisted of all lactating mothers who visited the selected health facilities in the municipality for RCH services. The study used a multistage sampling procedure to obtain data from 345 lactating mothers who visited the selected facilities for services. A self-designed structure interview guide and inventory were used to collect data. For reliability of the instrument, a pilot test of the instrument was carried out among lactating mothers attending post-natal clinics in Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis. The findings revealed that lactating mothers have positive dietary habits and knowledge on diet. Again, the majority of the lactating mothers had below average level dietary habits. It was also discovered that there was a strong positive relationship between dietary knowledge, environmental resource and socioeconomic background and dietary habit of lactating mothers. Finally, greater part of the nursing mothers within the study area had moderate knowledge on their diet. It was recommended that Health practitioners, NGOs and other stakeholders should educate lactating mothers on the various diet necessary to improve the composition of their breastmilk to feed their infants. Again, the Municipal Health Directorate (MHD) should have a policy that would provide financial support to lactating mothers
