Deteriorating complementary feeding practices and dietary quality in Jordan: Trends and challenges

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Public Health
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Optimal complementary feeding (CF) is crucial for infant and young child growth and development.
• Jordan faces challenges in ensuring appropriate CF practices.
• Trends in CF and related dietary patterns require assessment to inform public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess trends in infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in Jordan from 1990 to 2017.
• To analyze the consumption of breast milk substitutes (BMSs), sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and micronutrient-rich foods among children aged 6-23 months.
• To identify shifts in dietary patterns and their implications for child nutrition.

Main Methods:

• Combined dietary data from six Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) (n=14,880 children).
• Calculated IYCF indicators including minimum dietary diversity (MDD), minimum meal frequency (MMF), and minimum acceptable diet (MAD).
• Employed logistic regression for trend analyses, adjusting for covariates like age, residence, and socioeconomic status.

Main Results:

• Significant decline in consumption of micronutrient-rich foods (eggs, meat, dairy, Vitamin A-rich produce) between 1990 and 2017.
• Increased consumption of BMSs and sugar-sweetened juices observed over the study period.
• Children were less likely to meet MDD, MMF, and MAD by 2017; odds of consuming BMSs and juices significantly increased.

Conclusions:

• Jordanian infants and young children show declining adherence to recommended CF practices and reduced intake of essential micronutrients.
• The rise in BMS and SSB consumption correlates with poorer dietary quality and increasing rates of overweight, obesity, and micronutrient deficiencies.
• Policy interventions are needed to address individual behaviors, household practices, and environmental factors promoting unhealthy food access.