Global Breastfeeding Trends Need for Tracking, Assessment and Monitoring Dr. Arun Gupta, MD, FIAP Regional Coordinator, IBFAN Asia Pacific National Coordinator, BPNI

The Global Strategy for IYCF “ WHO and UNICEF jointly developed the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding to revitalize world attention to the impact that feeding practices have on the nutritional status, growth and development, health, and thus the very survival of infants and young children……..”

Sources: For cause-specific mortality: EIP/WHO. For Under nutrition: Pelletier DL, et al, AMJ Public Health 1993, 83: Major causes of death among children under five, worldwide, 2000, Malnutrition is associated with infant and young child mortality Diarrhoea 12% Other 29% Pneumonia 20% Malaria 8% Measles 5% HIV/AIDS 4% Prenatal 22% Deaths associated with Undernutrition 54%

According to the Global Strategy, 2/3rd deaths are related to inappropriate feeding practices “ Malnutrition has been responsible, directly or indirectly, for 60% of the 10.9 million deaths annually among children under five. feeding practices, occur during the first year of life……” Global Strategy for IYCF “ Malnutrition has been responsible, directly or indirectly, for 60% of the 10.9 million deaths annually among children under five. Well over two-thirds of these deaths, which are often associated with inappropriate feeding practices, occur during the first year of life……” Global Strategy for IYCF Emphasis ours

The Global Strategy “Inappropriate feeding practices and their consequences are major obstacles to sustainable socioeconomic development and poverty reduction. Governments will be unsuccessful in their efforts to accelerate economic development in any significant long-term sense until optimal child growth and development, especially through appropriate feeding practices, are ensured” Emphasis ours

WHA Resolution Endorses the Global Strategy and calls for urgent action to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate a national policy and plan of action on IYCF (3) To defile for this purpose, consistent with national circumstances: (a) National goals and objectives, (b) A realistic timeline for their achievement, (c) Measurable process and output indicators that will permit accurate monitoring and evaluation of action taken and a rapid response to identified needs ;

Infant mortality trends in South Asia and MDGs

Ex. Breastfeeding in South Asia * Refers to exclusive breastfeeding for less than 4 months Source: SOWC 2004

India trends in IYCF

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