Complementary feeding: report of the global consultation

Summary of guiding principles

Complementary feeding: report of the global consultation

Overview

WHO convened the Global Consultation on Complementary Feeding in December 2001, to review and update global recommendations for appropriate complementary feeding and identify actions needed to accelerate their implementation. Participants agreed on new estimates of energy requirements for complementary foods assuming an average breastmilk intake. They also identified several nutrients that are consistently deficient in the diets of children in low income countries. Participants examined various approaches for improving the availability of adequate complementary foods, including technologies that can be implemented at home or in the community and larger-scale production of fortified processed complementary foods involving the public or private sector. Recognizing that improved nutrition requires attention to foods as well as feeding behaviours, participants discussed critical dimensions of responsive feeding and the wider belief system that influences what, when, where and how people feed their children. Finally, suggestions were made for how to accelerate the implementation of interventions to improve feeding of children 6-24 months of age within the context of the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding. Related links
  • Global strategy for infant and young child feeding
  • WHO Team
    Nutrition and Food Safety (NFS)
    Editors
    World Health Organization
    Number of pages
    24
    Reference numbers
    ISBN: 924154614X