Author : Gordoncillo, Normahitta M. P.

Summary : Ninety-five mother and child pairs were the subject of this study, covering four survey periods of one rice cropping cycle. Mean market work time was lowest at land preparation period and highest at harvesting. A combined decrease in household chore time and childcare time compensated for the increase in market work time. Working mothers devoted to more childcare time to feeding (48 percent vs 37 percent). Breastfeeding mothers devoted more childcare time (131 min or 51 percent) than non-breastfeeding mothers who devoted only thirty-four percent of the 96 minutes they devoted to childcare to feeding. Twenty-eight percent of the children (aged 6-36 months) were found to be underweight for their age. A descriptive analysis of the socioeconomic factors indicated that low income, big household size, and poor environmental conditions were predisposing factors of malnutrition. By multiple regression analysis, the explanatory variables type of feeding (in favor of breastfeeding), nutrient adequacy, and child feeding time positively and significantly influenced nutritional status. Income was not significantly related to nutritional status. Nevertheless, its positive and significant effect on nutrient adequacy implied an indirect but positive relation to nutritional status. Likewise, work status did not have a significant relationship to either nutritional status or nutrient adequacy but it had positively and significantly influenced income. The study's main conclusion is that the mother's work time did not have negatively affect the nutritional status of the child because income was an intervening factor. The mother's control over child feeding, cushioned the potential negative effect of increased work time on nutritional status. It was recommended that other work alternatives be explored among mothers in rice-band communities to offset negative effects on food availability, which was influenced by seasonal rice production.