The role of complementary feeding in India’s enigma of high child malnutrition rates: Findings from a comprehensive national study

Abstract

Relative to its economic growth and poverty levels, Indian children suffer from higher levels of malnutrition than children in most other low- or lower-middle-income countries. The current Covid-19 pandemic is likely to further exacerbate the situation. Research presented in this article has examined the effects of infant and young child feeding practices on the rates of stunting, underweight, wasting, and anaemia amongst Indian children and concluded that feeding children between 6 and 23 months old (semi)solid food of sufficient variety, and particularly animal-source foods, has a significant positive effect on their nutritional outcomes. The study further assessed the effects of the Integrated Child Development Services and district-level livestock ownership on the helpful feeding practices and found that the Integrated Child Development Services encouraged beneficial dietary behaviour amongst children but did not improve their nutritional outcomes. In contract, district-level poultry ownership appeared to have both augmented the beneficial feeding practices and improved children’s nutritional outcomes.

Effects of Dietary Diversity on Growth Outcomes of Children Aged 6 to 23 Months in India: Evidence from National Family and Health Survey

“…This might result in a stagnant rate of reduction in the prevalence of stunting, which decreased from 52% in 1993 to 38% in 2016 [ 9 , 11 ]. In this context, insufficient child-feeding practices are the root cause of malnutrition in India [ 12 ] and elsewhere [ 13 ]. Indeed poor nutritional status, unless dealt with properly, poses dire consequences on child health [ 14 ] since it not only causes growth faulting but also elevates the life risk of children in India [ 15 ], Ethiopia [ 16 ], and Pakistan [ 17 ].…”