Inadequate feeding of infant and young children in India: lack of nutritional information or food affordability?

• Published in: Public health nutrition Vol. 16; no. 10; pp. 1723 - 1731
• Main Author: Malhotra, Nisha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.10.2013
• Subjects: affordability; Age groups; Biological and medical sciences; Breastfeeding & lactation; child nutrition; childhood; children; Children & youth; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Economic factors; Feeding; Feeding Behavior; Female; Food; Fruits; General aspects; health care workers; Health Surveys; HOT TOPIC – Complementary feeding; Households; Humans; income; India; India - epidemiology; Infant; infant feeding; Infant Food; Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Infants; Legumes; Logistic Models; Malnutrition; Malnutrition - epidemiology; Medical personnel; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Milk; Milk, Human; Mothers; Multivariate Analysis; Nutrition; nutrition information; Nutritional Status; Parenting; Prenatal care; regression analysis; Socioeconomic Factors; Socioeconomics; surveys; Vegetables; World Health Organization; Asia; India; Nutritional education; Complementary feeding; Infant and young child feeding; WHO feeding indicators; India; Human; Preschool age; Accessibility; Nutrition; Infant; Information; Indicator; Feeding; Teaching; Education; Child; Food; WHO
• ISSN: 1368-9800; 1475-2727; 1475-2727
• DOI: 10.1017/S1368980012004065

Despite a rapidly growing economy and rising income levels in India, improvements in child malnutrition have lagged. Data from the most recent National Family Health Survey reveal that the infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices recommended by the WHO and the Indian Government, including the timely introduction of solid food, are not being followed by a majority of mothers in India. It is puzzling that even among rich households children are not being fed adequately. The present study analyses the socioeconomic factors that contribute to this phenomenon, including the role of nutritional information. IYCF practices from the latest National Family Health Survey (2005-2006) were analysed. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to establish the determinants of poor feeding practices. The indicators recommended by the WHO were used to assess the IYCF practices. India. Children (n 9241) aged 6-18 months. Wealth was shown to have only a small effect on feeding practices. For children aged 6-8 months, the mother's wealth status was not found to be a significant determinant of sound feeding practices. Strikingly, nutritional advice on infant feeding practices provided by health professionals (including anganwadi workers) was strongly correlated with improved practices across all age groups. Exposure to the media was also found to be a significant determinant. Providing appropriate information may be a crucial determinant of sound feeding practices. Efforts to eradicate malnutrition should include the broader goals of improving knowledge related to childhood nutrition and IYCF practices.