Age-appropriate infant and young child feeding practices are associated with child nutrition in India: insights from
Purnima Menon1, Apurva Bamezai1, Ali Subandoro2
1International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA.
Insights
Optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are crucial for child nutrition in India. Poor complementary feeding and diet diversity are linked to stunting and underweight in children under two.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Nutrition Science
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Age-appropriate infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are fundamental for optimal child growth and development.
- Undernutrition remains a significant public health challenge in India, necessitating an understanding of its determinants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between age-appropriate IYCF practices and child nutrition outcomes in India.
- To identify specific IYCF practices linked to stunting, underweight, and wasting in young children.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from 18,463 children aged 0-23.9 months from India's National Family Health Survey (2005-06).
- Utilized linear and logistic regression models, adjusting for child, maternal, household, and geographic factors.
- Outcome measures included height-for-age z-score (HAZ), weight-for-age z-score (WAZ), and anthropometric indicators of stunting, underweight, and wasting.
Main Results:
- Suboptimal IYCF practices were significantly associated with poorer child nutrition outcomes.
- Lack of solid/semi-solid foods at 6-8.9 months correlated with being underweight (P<0.05).
- Minimum diet diversity (≥4 food groups) was strongly linked to improved HAZ, WAZ, and reduced stunting/underweight (P<0.05).
- Early and exclusive breastfeeding showed no significant association with the studied nutrition outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Poor complementary feeding practices and inadequate diet diversity are key contributors to child undernutrition in India, particularly affecting linear growth.
- Maternal characteristics also play a crucial role in child undernutrition.
- Interventions promoting optimal complementary feeding and dietary diversity are essential for improving child nutrition status in India.
Abstract:
Age-appropriate infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are critical to child nutrition. The objective of this paper was to examine the associations between age-appropriate IYCF practices and child nutrition outcomes in India using data from ∼18 463 children of 0-23.9 months old from India's National Family Health Survey, 2005-06-3. The outcome measures were child height-for-age z-score (HAZ), weight-for-age z-score (WAZ), weight-for-height z-score, stunting, underweight and wasting. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used, accounting for the clustered survey data. Regression models were adjusted for child, maternal, and household characteristics, and state and urban/rural residence. The analyses indicate that in India suboptimal IYCF practices are associated with poor nutrition outcomes in children. Early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding were not associated with any of the nutrition outcomes considered. Not consuming any solid or semi-solid foods at 6-8.9 months was associated with being underweight (P < 0.05). The diet diversity score and achieving minimum diet diversity (≥4 food groups) for children 6-23 months of age were most strongly and significantly associated with HAZ, WAZ, stunting and underweight (P < 0.05). Maternal characteristics were also strongly associated with child undernutrition. In summary, poor IYCF practices, particularly poor complementary foods and feeding practices, are associated with poor child nutrition outcomes in India, particularly linear growth.
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