Maternal nutrition plays a pivotal role in the growth, development, and long-term health outcomes of infants. This quasi-experimental study evaluated the impact of maternal nutrition education on infant anthropometric outcomes in 400 mother-infant pairs in rural communities. Mothers attended structured workshops focusing on breastfeeding practices, complementary feeding, dietary diversity, and micronutrient supplementation. Infant growth was measured using weight-for-age, height-for-age, and weight-for-height z-scores at baseline and six months post-intervention. Results indicated that infants of mothers participating in the nutrition program showed significant improvements in weight-for-age (+0.48 SD, p<0.01) and height-for-age (+0.42 SD, p<0.05) compared to controls. Additionally, maternal knowledge of appropriate feeding practices increased by 65%, and adherence to recommended dietary guidelines improved significantly. These findings suggest that maternal nutrition education is an effective, low-cost strategy for improving infant growth and development, with implications for public health interventions in resource-limited rural settings.

Keywords:
Maternal Nutrition, Infant Growth, Rural Health, Public Health, Child Development, Nutrition Education