Measuring Infant and Young Child Complementary Feeding Practices: Indicators, Current Practice, and Research Gaps

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Public Health
• Development Studies

Background:

• The World Health Organization (WHO) introduced Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) indicators in 2008.
• These indicators, including five for complementary feeding (CF), were designed for population-level assessment in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the utilization, lessons learned, strengths, and limitations of existing CF indicators.
• To propose future directions for improving and developing CF indicators.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the application of CF indicators in population assessments, country comparisons, and progress tracking.
• Review of research utilizing CF indicators for program evaluations and understanding determinants of poor CF practices.

Main Results:

• CF indicators have been extensively used for population assessments, tracking progress, and in research evaluations.
• The indicators have raised awareness and highlighted the severity of poor CF practices globally.

Conclusions:

• Existing CF indicators are valuable but have limitations, necessitating reflection and improvement.
• Enhanced indicators are crucial for driving action and investment to improve infant and young child feeding practices globally.