Infant and Young Child Feeding in the Developed and Developing Countries
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Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
IntechOpen
Abstract
Infant feeding challenges continue to manifest in developed and developing
countries. Worldwide, more than 80% of babies are breastfed in the first few weeks
of birth. However, about 37%, 25%, and less than 1% are exclusively breastfed at
6 months of age in Africa, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom,
respectively. These statistics are far below the World Health Organization targets
of 50% and 70% by 2025 and 2030, respectively. Complementary feeding practices
are varied as well due to nonadherence to Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF)
guidelines among parents. This accounts for the current trends in malnutrition in
children under−5 years of age, adolescents, and the youth, and leads to intergenera-
tion malnutrition. In this chapter we have included sections on appropriate infant
feeding; including how to initiate breastfeeding in the first hour of birth, how to
exclusively breastfeed infants until 6 months of age, how to complement breastfeed-
ing after 6 months of infant’s age as well as continuing to breastfeed until 24 months
of age and even beyond. Furthermore, we have included a description of how mothers
who are unable to breastfeed can feed their infants on expressed breastmilk or replace
breastmilk with appropriate homemade or commercial formula. This chapter as well
covers infant feeding in prematurity.
Description
Keywords
Breastfeeding, Diet, Feeding, Infant, Nutrition, and Young child