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Preliminary data from demographic and health surveys on infant feeding in 20 developing countries
Bernadette M Marriott1, Larry Campbell, Erica Hirsch
1RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA. bernadette_marriott@abtassoc.com
Insights
In developing countries, breast milk is dominant, but complementary foods and liquids like water, other milks, and solids are common, especially after six months. Commercial infant formula is less frequently used for infants under one year.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Nutrition Science
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Infant feeding practices are crucial for child survival and development.
- Complementary feeding, introducing liquids and solids alongside breast milk, significantly impacts infant health.
- Understanding these practices in developing countries is vital for targeted health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze infant feeding practices, focusing on complementary liquids and foods in the first year of life.
- To compare the prevalence of different types of fluids and foods given to infants across various developing countries.
- To assess the role of commercial infant formula relative to other feeding options.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from Demographic and Health Surveys (1999-2003) across 20 developing countries.
- Analyzed child-level 24-hour and 7-day food and fluid intake data for over 35,000 infants (0-6 and 6-12 months).
- Grouped non-breast milk fluids (water, other milk, infant formula, other liquids) and categorized solid foods for analysis.
Main Results:
- Breastfeeding remains high: 96.6% for 0-6 months and 87.9% for 6-12 months.
- Introduction of other fluids and solids increases significantly from 0-6 to 6-12 months.
- Other milks, other liquids, and solid foods are more prevalent than commercial infant formula in the first year.
Conclusions:
- Complementary feeding practices vary, with a notable increase in non-breast milk fluid and solid food introduction after six months.
- While breastfeeding is widespread, diverse complementary feeding options are common, with traditional/local options preferred over commercial infant formula.
- Findings highlight the need for context-specific infant and young child feeding (IYCF) strategies.
Abstract:
This study describes infant feeding practices in developing countries, specifically complementary liquids and foods in the first year of life. Data were compiled from Demographic and Health Surveys conducted from 1999 to 2003. We analyzed data from those countries with available data, including results for child-level 24-h and 7-d food and fluid intakes. We used datasets from 20 countries with information on >35,000 infants categorized by age: 0-6 and 6-12 mo. For analysis, we grouped data for fluids other than breast milk as water, other milk (e.g., tinned, powdered, animal), infant formula, and other liquids (e.g., fruit juice, herbal tea, sugar water). All specific solid foods were grouped as any solid foods. We present data on breast-feeding and maternal-reported fluid and solid intake by infants in a 24-h period, for individual countries, and in a pooled analysis. Pooled data show that 96.6% of 0- to 6- and 87.9% of 6- to 12-mo-old infants were currently breast-fed. Reported feeding of other fluids was lower among 0- to 6-mo-olds than 6- to 12-mo-olds: water (45.9 vs. 87.4%), other milk products (11.9 vs. 29.6%), infant formula (9.0 vs. 15.1%), and other liquids (15.1 vs. 41.0%). Pooled analysis showed that 21.9% of mothers reported feeding 0- to 6-mo-old infants some type of solid food, and 80.1% of mothers reported feeding solids to 6- to 12-mo-olds. These survey data show that other milks, other liquids, and solid foods are each much more commonly fed throughout infancy than commercial infant formulas in the countries studied.
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