Complementary feeding-A right start

摘要

The first 1000 days from time of conception to the first two years of a child's life is a critical period of vulnerability and opportunity in child health. Malnutrition in this crucial time period can lead to stunting and suboptimal development. It also affects child's capability to achieve its physical, sensory, motor, cognitive, language and socio-emotional potential. There is evidence that adults, who were malnourished in early childhood, have ar impaired intellectual performance and reduced capacity for physical work. Ultimately, it has implications for national development. Therefore, the optimal infant and young child feeding practices across the first 1000days period are among the most impactful and life saving nutrition interventions. Three key indicators which need to be kept in mind are initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and timely andappropriate complementary feeding after six months along with continued breastfeeding. Current rate of these practices remains low and is a challenge to increase in the coming five year plan. As per the recent report documented by the National Family Health Survey-4 (2015-16), the rate of early initiation of breastfeeding in India has increased from 23 per cent in 2005-06 to 42 per cent in 2015-16. A little more than half (55%) of infants below six months are exclusively breastfed. Only 43 per cent Indian infants aged six to eight months receive some kind of complementary foods in addition to mother's milk. In India, only nine percent breastfed children aged between 6-24 months receive an adequate diet, whereas, the corresponding proportion among non-breastfed children of same age is only 14 per cent.