Between and Within-Country Variations in Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices in South Asia

Md. Tariqujjaman, Md. Mehedi Hasan, Mustafa Mahfuz, Tahmeed Ahmed and Muttaquina Hossain
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Md. Tariqujjaman: Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, icddr,b, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
Md. Mehedi Hasan: Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland, Indooroopilly, QLD 4068, Australia
Mustafa Mahfuz: Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, icddr,b, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
Tahmeed Ahmed: Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, icddr,b, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
Muttaquina Hossain: Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, icddr,b, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 7, 1-12

Abstract: This study aimed to explore variations in Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices between different South Asian Countries (SACs) and within their sociodemographic characteristics including place of residence, mother age, mother education, child sex, and wealth quintiles within the SACs. We extracted 0–23 months age children’s data from the nationally representative survey of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, and Pakistan. Among all SACs, the early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) practice was 45.4% with the highest prevalence in the Maldives (68.2%) and the lowest prevalence in Pakistan (20.8%). Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) practice was 53.9% with the highest prevalence in Nepal (67%) and the lowest prevalence in Afghanistan (42%). Only 13% of children had a minimum acceptable diet (MAD), with the highest prevalence in the Maldives (52%) and the lowest prevalence in India (11%). We found higher IYCF practices among the mothers with secondary or higher levels of education (EIBF: 47.0% vs. 43.6%; EBF: 55.5% vs. 52.0%; MAD: 15.3% vs. 10.0%), urban mothers (MAD: 15.6% vs. 11.8%), and mothers from the richest households (MAD: 17.6% vs. 8.6%) compared to the mothers with no formal education or below secondary level education, rural mothers and mothers from the poorest households, respectively. Mothers from the poorest households had better EIBF, EBF, and continued breastfeeding at 1-year (CBF) practices compared to the mothers from the richest households (EIBF: 44.2% vs. 40.7%; EBF: 54.8% vs. 53.0%; CBF: 86.3% vs. 77.8%). Poor IYCF practices were most prevalent in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.

Keywords: infant and young child feeding practices; South Asia; variations; sociodemographic subgroups (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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