Knowledge and practices of mothers regarding complementary feeding in Türkiye: A cross-sectional study

Aim: The complementary feeding (CF) period is a multidimensional process that includes offering age-appropriate foods, ensuring adequate portion sizes, appropriate meal timing, dietary diversity, and suitable feeding practices.This study aimed to evaluate mothers' CF practices and identify common mistakes in light of current literature. Materials and Methods:This study was conducted with 753 mothers of children aged 12-72 months.Data were collected using an online questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, breastfeeding and CF practices, timing of food introduction, feeding methods, and challenges encountered during the CF period.Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for data analysis.Results: Most mothers (80.2%) reported difficulty in defining the CF process.CF was initiated based on healthcare professional recommendations by 36.9% of mothers.Early CF initiation (