Text in English with abstracts in English, Venda and Sepedi / Background: Suitable complementary feeding practices in young children can ensure optimal nutrition status and reduce under 5 mortality rates (Jones et al., 2014). Inadequate dietary diversity (DD) of the complementary diet both in quality and quantity is one of the major problems affecting infants and young children worldwide (Ntila et al., 2017). Adequate and appropriate nutrition during infancy and early childhood is vital for the growth and development of every child to reach full human potential (PAHO, 2003; WHO, 2008a; UNICEF, 2016). Nutritional vulnerability increases when other factors are also involved, such as poor breast and complementary feeding practices combined with high rates of infectious diseases (Solomons & Vossenaar, 2013; Ntila et al., 2017). There are pockets of information available on complementary feeding practices and its social determinants from specific areas in South Africa, regarding infant and young child feeding practices beyond six months of age and requires further investigation (Issaka et al., 2015; Seonandan & McKerrow, 2016). Aim: To explore the association between mothers’ socio-cultural environment and the dietary diversity of their children between the ages of 6 and 24 months, who attend the health care clinic in Olievenhoutbosch Township, Gauteng. Methodology: A quantitative cross-sectional explorative study was implemented. Data collection was conducted at Olievenhoutbosch clinic in Gauteng during February and March 2019. Mothers of children aged between 6 and 24 months were included and interviewed. Consecutive sampling was applied. The data collection instruments were a set of structured questions to obtain socio-demographic, nutritional knowledge, maternal attitude and feeding practices data. The infant and young child minimum dietary diversity (IYCMDD) questionnaire adapted from the WHO questionnaire was used to determine the DD of each child. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES) at the University of South Africa. Descriptive and inferential statistics was applied using SPSS version 25 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA). Results: The sample of mothers (n=103) were educated (75% completed matric and 18% completed post-school education), unemployed (73%) and mostly single (53%) which are all factors playing a role in child nutrition. The majority (58%) of children were between the ages of 6 and 11 months while 42% were between the ages of 12 and 24 months. The milk feeding practices differed significantly between the younger and older groups of children with 35% of the younger children receiving breastmilk (in addition to complementary foods), compared to 21% of the older group. Almost half (44%) of the total group reported that maize meal porridge was the first food introduced to their children. Less than half of the mothers (45%) initiated the first foods at the recommended age of 6 months but started as early as one month of age (13%). All children (100%) consumed foods from the “grains, roots and tubers” food group the previous day. Significantly less children from the younger age group were reported to have consumed dairy (38% vs 77%, p<0.001) (other than breast or formula milk), animal flesh foods (31% vs 59%, p=0.014) and legumes (8% vs 24%, p=0.034), compared to the older age group. Significantly more children from the older group met the minimum dietary diversity (MDD) of four food groups compared to the younger group (67% vs 38%, p=0.019). No association was found between most socio-cultural factors (maternal age, marital status, education and employment status) and DD. However, there was an association between maternal ethnicity and DD (𝑥2=16.62, p=0.002). Also, maternal nutrition knowledge and the child’s DD had a significant, positive linear relationship (p=0.026). Lastly, maternal attitude towards feeling confident in not overfeeding the child were associated with meeting the MDD. Conclusion: The diets of young children residing in Olievenhoutbosch, do not meet the criteria for a minimally acceptable diet with only 50% meeting the MDD. Legumes and animal source foods are not consumed in sufficient quantities for complementary feeding. Maternal ethnicity and nutritional knowledge were associated with the child’s DD. More emphasis should be placed on DD for young children. / Vhubvo: Maitele o teaho a thikhedzo ya kuṋetshedzele kwa zwiḽiwa kha vhana vhaṱuku a nga khwaṱhisedza vhuimo ha gumofulu ha pfush na u fhungudza phimo ya dzimpfu dza vhana vha fhasi ha miṅwaha ya fhasi ha 5 (Jones na vhaṅwe, 2014). U sa lingana ha u fhambana ha kuḽele (DD) ha nndyo thikhedzi kha ndeme na tshivhalo ndi dziṅwe dza thaidzo khulwane dzi kwamaho dzitshetshe na vhana vhaṱuku u mona na shango (Ntila na vhaṅwe, 2017). Mufusho wo linganaho na wo teaho musi vhe dzitshetshe na kha vhuhana thangeli ndi dza ndeme kha nyaluwo na nyaluso ya ṅwana muṅwe na muṅwe uri a vhe na vhukoni hoṱhe (PAHO, 2003; WHO, 2008a; UNICEF, 2016). U vha khomboni ha mufusho zwi a ṋaṋa musi hu na zwiṅwe zwithu zwi dzhenelelaho, sa maitele a sa fushi a u mamisa na u tikedza zwo ṱangana na phimo ya nṱha ya malwadze a phirela (Solomons & Vossenaar, 2013; Ntila na vhaṅwe., 2017). Haya ndi mafhungo u ya nga zwipiḓa are hone kha maitele a u ḽisa ha thikhedzo na zwivhangi zwa matshilisano u bva kha vhuṅwe vhupo ha Afrika Tshipembe, maelana na u ḽisa dzitshetshe na vhana vho no fhirisaho miṅwedzi ya rathi, naho ṱhoho iyi i tshi ṱoḓa u senguluswa hafhu (Issaka na vhaṅwe, 2015; Seonandan & McKerrow, 2016). Ndivho: U itela u lavhelesa u elana ha vhupo ha zwa matshilisano na ikonomi ha mme na DD ya vhana vhavho vha vhukati ha miṅwedzi ya 6 na 24, vhane vha ya kiḽiniki ya ndondola mutakalo ngei kha Tshikolobulasi tsha Olievenhoutbosch, Gauteng. Ngona: Ngudo dza vhubuḓasia dza ndingedzo dzo shumiswa. Data yo kuvhanganywa ngei kha kiḽiniki ya Olievenhoutbosch kha ḽa Gauteng nga Luhuhi na Ṱhafamuhwe 2019. Vhomme a vhana vha miṅwedzi ya vhukati ha 6 na 24 vho dzheniswa vha vhudziswa. Vhukhethatsumbonanguludzwa ha thevhekano ho shumiswa. Sethe ya mbudziso dzo dzudzanywaho yo shumiswa u wana u phambano dza matshilisano, nḓivho ya mufusho, kusedzele kwa vhomme na data ya phatheni dza kuḽele. Mbudzisombekanywa ya phambano ya gumofulu ya kuḽele kwa dzitshetshe na vhana vhaṱuku (IYCMDD) u bva kha WHO yo shumiswa u vhona DD ya ṅwana muṅwe na muṅwe. Ṱhanziela dza vhuḓifari dzo wanala u bva kha Komiti ya zwa Vhuḓifari ya Khoḽidzhi ya zwa Vhulimi na Saintsi dza zwa Mupo (CAES) kha Yunivesithi ya Afrika Tshipembe. Mbalombalo dza ṱhalutshedzo na dza u sumbedzisa dzo shumiswa nga u shumisa vesheni ya SPSS 25. Mvelelo: Tsumbonanguludzwa dza vhomme (n = 103) vho funzwaho (75% vho fhedza maṱiriki na 18% yo bvelaphanḓa ya fhedza pfunzo ya nṱha ha tshikolo, vha sa shumi ndi (73%) nahone vhanzhi ndi vha tshilaho vhe vhoṱhe (53%), zwi re zwivhumbi zwoṱhe zwine zwa dzhenelela kha mufusho wa ṅwana. Vhunzhi (60%) ya vhana vho vha vhe vhukati ha miṅwedzi ya 6 u ya kha ya 11, 40% vhe vhukati ha ya 12 u ya kha 24. Kumamisele kwo fhambana vhukuma vhukati ha zwigwada zwa vhaswa na zwa vhahulwane, hune 35% ya vhana vhaṱuku vha vha vha khou wana mikando ya vhomme avho (nṱhani ha zwiḽiwa zwa u tikedza), hu tshi vhambedzwa na 21% ya tshigwada tsha vhahulwane. U ṱoḓa u swika kha hafu (44%) ya tshigwada tshoṱhe vho amba uri mukapu wa mugayo ndi zwone zwiḽiwa zwo thomaho u ḓivhadzwa vhana vhavho. Vhomme vha re fhasi ha hafu (45%) vho them zwiḽiwa zwa u thoma kha miṅwedzi yo themendelwaho ya 6 fhedzi vhaṅwe vha thoma u ṱavhanya vhe kha ṅwedzi muthihi (13%). Vhana vhoṱhe (100%) vho vha vho no ḽa ḽiwa zwi fanaho na thoro, midzi na khufhi sa zwigwada zwa zwiḽiwa ḓuvha ḽo fhiraho. Vha si gathi vhukuma kha vhana vha tshigwada tsha vhaṱuku vho pfi vho ḽa zwiḽiwa zwa mafhi (38% i tshi vhambedzwa na 77%, p < 0.001) (zwi si mafhi a mikando kana a boḓelo), zwiḽiwa zwa ṋama ya phukha (31% i tshi vhambedzwa na 59%, p = 0.014) ḽingaṋawa (8% vha tshi vhambedzwa na 24%, p = 0.034), vha tshi vhambedzwa na zwigwada zwa vhahulwane. Vhunzhi ha vhana vha bvaho kha tshigwada tsha vhahulwane vho swikelela phambano ya gumoṱuku ya nndyo (MDD) ya zwigwada zwiṋa zwi tshi vhambedzwa na tshigwada tsha vhaṱuku (67% i tshi vhambedzwa na 38%, p = 0.019). Ahuna u elana ho wanalaho vhukati ha zwivhumbi zwa mvelele na matshilisano (vhukale ha vhomme, vhuimo ha mbingano, pfunzo na vhuimo ha mushumo) na DD. Fhedzi, ho vha na u elana vhukati ha murafho wa vhomme na DD (𝑥2 = 16.62, p = 0.002). Zwiṅwe hafhu, nḓivho ya mufusho ya vhomme na DD ya ṅwana zwo vha na vhushaka, ha ndeme hu elanaho huvhuya (p = 0.026). Tsha u fhedzisela, kusedzele kwa vhomme kha u ḓipfa vhe na vhuḓifulufheli na u sa ḽisa ṅwana u fhira tshikalo zwo elana na u swikelela MDD. Khunyeledzo: Nndyo ya vhana vhaṱuku vha dzulaho ngei Olievenhoutbosch a i swikeleli maga a gumoṱuku a ṱanganedzwaho a nndyo; ho swikelelwa fhedzi 50% ye ya swikelela MDD. Ḽingaṋawa na tshiko tsha zwiḽiwa zwa zwipuka a zwi khou ḽiwa lwo linganaho kha thikhedzo ya kuḽele. Murafho wa vhomme na nḓivho ya mufusho zwo elana na DD ya ṅwana. Ho vha na khwaṱhisedzo hafhu kha DD ya vhana vhaṱuku. / Tšweletšo ya taba: ditiro tša maleba tša phepo ya tlaleletšo mo go bana ba bannyane di ka netefatša maemo a godimo a phepo le go fokotša kelo ya mahu mo go bana ba ka fase ga mengwaga ye 5 (Jones et al., 2014). Go fapafapana ga dijo fao go sa lekanago (DD) ga dijo tša tlaleletšo go bobedi boleng le bontši ke ye nngwe ya mathata a magolo ao a amago masea le bana ba bannyane lefase ka bophara (Ntila et al., 2017). Phepo ye e lekanego gape ya maleba nako ya bosea le bonnyane e bohlokwa go kgolo le tlhabollo ya ngwana yo mongwe le yo mongwe go fihlelela bogolo bjo bo feletšego (PAHO, 2003; WHO, 2008a; UNICEF, 2016). Kgolo ya hlaelela ya dijo ge dintlha tše dingwe le tšona di amega, go swana le ditshepedišo tša go fokola le phepo ya tlaleletšo go hlakanywa le malwetši a mantši a go fetela (Solomons & Vossenaar, 2013; Ntila et al., 2017). Go na le dipotla tša tshedimošo tšeo di lego gona go ditiro tša phepo ya tlaleletšo le dikelo tša leago go tšwa mafelong a go ikgetha mo Afrika Borwa, mabapi le masea le bana ba bannyane ka morago ga dikgwedi tše tshela, mme hlogo ye e nyaka dinyakišišo (Issaka et al., 2015; Seonandan & McKerrow, 2016). Nepo: go nyakišiša dikamano gare ga bomme le tikologo ya leago le setšo le DD ya bana ba gare ga dikgwedi tše 6 le tše 24, bao ba tsenetšego kliniki ya tša maphelo ya Olievenhoutbosch Township, Gauteng. Mekgwatshepetšo: thuto ya diphatišišo tša go hlakanela ga dikgao e phethagaditšwe. Kgoboketšo ya tshedimošo e dirilwe kliniking ya Olievenhoutbosch mo Gauteng nakong ya Febereware le Matšhe 2019. Bommago bana ba dikgwedi tša gare ga tše 6 le 24 di akareditšwe le go botšišwa. Sehlopha sa go latelana se šomišitšwe. Sete ya dipotšišo tšeo di hlamilwego di šomišitšwe go hwetša tsebo ya dimokrafi ya leago, dijo, maikemišetšo a bomme le tshedimošo ka ga mekgwa ya go fepa. Masea le mehuta ya go fapana ya dijo tša bana (IYCMDD) letlakalapotšišo go tšwa go WHO le šomišitšwe go ela DD ya ngwana yo mongwe le yo mongwe. Hlakišo ya maitshwaro e hweditšwe go Komiti ya Maitshwaro ya Kholetšhe ya Temo le Disaense tša Tikologo (CAES) mo Yunibesithing ya Afrika Borwa. Dipalopalo tša tlhaloso le taetšo di šomišitšwe ge go diragatšwa mohuta wa SPSS 25. Dipoelo: Sekgao sa bomme (n = 103) ba be go ba rutegile (75% ba phethile mphato wa marematlou le 18% ba tšwetšepele go phetha dithuto tša ka morago ga mphato wa marematlou), ga ba šome (73%) le bontši ga se ba nyalwe (53%), tšeo ka moka e lego dintlha tša go raloka karolo ye kgolo go phepo ya bana. Bontši (60%) bja bana ba magareng ga mengwaga ye 6 le ye 11, le 40% e be e le magareng a dikgwedi tše 12 le tše 24. Ditiro tša go nyantšha di fapana kudu gare ga bana ba bannyane le dihlopha tša bana ba bagolwane, ka 35% tša bana ba bannyane bao ba amogelago maswi a letswele (go tlaleletša dijo tša tlaleletšo), ge go bapetšwa le 21% tša batho ba bagolwane. Go nyaka go ba seripagare (44%) sa palomoka seo se begilego gore bogobe bja mabele ke dijo tša mathomo tšeo di tšweleditšwego go bana ba bona. Ka fase ga seripagare sa bomma (45%) ba thomile dijo tša bona tša mathomo ka mengwaga ye e digetšwego ya dikgwedi tše 6 efela di thomile ka kgwedi ya mathomo (13%). Bana ka moka (100%) ba jele dijo go tšwa go dithoro, medu le sehlopha sa dijo tša digwere mo letšatšing le le fetilego. Palo ye ntši ya bana ba bannyane go tšwa go mengwaga ye mennyane ba begilwe ba jele dijo tša maswi (38% vs 77%, p < 0.001) (ntle le maswi a letswele goba a go rekwa), dijo tša nama ya phoofolo (31% vs 59%, p = 0.014) le dinawa (8% vs 24%, p = 0.034), ge go bapetšwa le batho ba mengwaga ya bagolo. Bontši bja bana go tšwa go sehlopha sa ba bagolo ba kgotsofaditše dinyakwa tša go fapana tša dijo (MDD) ya dihlopha tše nne ge go bapetšwa le dihlopha tše dinnyane (67% vs 38%, p = 0.019). Ga go dikamano tšeo di humanwego gare ga dintlha tše dintši tša leago le setšo (mengwaga ya tswalo, maemo a lenyalo, thuto le maemo a mošomo DD. Le ge go le bjalo, go bile le dikamano gare setšo le DD (𝑥2 = 16.62, p = 0.002). Le, tsebo ya dijo le DD ya bana, tswalano ya maleba ya tatelano (p = 0.026). Sa mafelelo, mmono wa bomme go ikwa ba na le boitshepo ka go se fepe ngwana go feta tekanyo tšeo di amanago le go kopana le MDD. Thumo: Dijo tša bana ba bannyane ba go dula Olievenhoutbosch ga ba kgotsofatše dinyakwa tša dijo tše di amogelegago; fela 50% e kopane le MDD. Dinawa le dijo tša mothopo ya diphoofolo ga di lewe ka bontši bja go lekana go dira dijo tša tlaleletšo. Mohlobo le tsebo ya dijo di be di amane le DD ya ngwana. Kgatelelo ye kgolo e swanetše go bewa go DD go bana ba bannyane. / Department of Life and Consumer Science / M.A. (Consumer Science)