H e a l t h P r o m o t i o n a n d P r o t e c t i o n F o o d a n d N u t r i t i o n P r o g r a m Table 1: Minimum number of meals required to attain the level of energy needed from complementary foods with mean energy density of 0.6, 0.8, or 1.0 kcal/g for children in developing countries with low or average levels of breast milk energy intake (BME), by age and group. Table 2: Minimum dietary energy density (kcal/g) required to attain the level of energy needed from complementary foods in 2-5 meals/d by children in developing countries with low or average level of breast milk intake (BME) Table 3: Percentage of energy from complementary foods that should be provided as fat to prepare diets with 30% or 45% of total energy as fat, for children in developing countries, by age group and level of breast milk energy intake
PA N A M E R I C A N H E A LT H O R G A N I Z AT I O N W O R L D H E A LT H O R G A N I Z AT I O N
Celebrating 100 Years of Health
G U I D I N G P R I N C I P L E S F O R C O M P L E M E N T A R Y F E E D I N G O F T H E B R E A S T F E D C H I L D
T A B L E S
I N T R O D U C T I O NAdequate nutrition during infancy and early childhood is fundamental to the development of each child's full human potential. It is well recognized that the period from birth to two years of age is a "critical window" for the promotion of optimal growth, health and behavioral development. Longitudinal studies have consistently shown that this is the peak age for growth faltering, deficiencies of certain micronutrients, and common childhood illnesses such as diarrhea.After a child reaches 2 years of age, it is very difficult to reverse stunting that has occurred earlier (Martorell et al., 1994). The immediate consequences of poor nutrition during these formative years include significant morbidity and mortality and delayed mental and motor development. In the long-term, early nutritional deficits are linked to impairments in intellectual performance, work capacity, reproductive outcomes and overall health during adolescence and adulthood. Thus, the cycle of malnutrition continues, as the malnourished girl child faces greater odds of giving birth to a malnourished, low birth weight infant when she grows up. Poor breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices, coupled with high rates of infectious diseases, are the principal proximate causes of malnutrition during the first two years of life. For this reason, it is essential to ensure that caregivers are provided with appropriate guidance regarding optimal feeding of infants and young children.Complementary feeding is defined as the process starting when breast milk alone is no longer sufficient to meet the nutritional requirements of infants, and therefore other foods and liquids are needed, along with breast milk. The target age range for complementary feeding is generally taken to be 6 to 24 months of age, even though breastfeeding may continue beyond two years. A review of feeding guidelines promoted by various national and international organizations has sho...