Infant and young child feeding in Zimbabwe : developing food-based complementary feeding recommendations for infants

• Main Author: Nduna, Themba
• Published: University of Aberdeen 2016
• Subjects: 649; Infants
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.698877

Background: Undernutrition is a global public health challenge with life-long consequences. For a child chronically undernourished within the first 1000 days of its life, the consequences include lower school attainment, shorter adult height, reduced adult income and national economic productivity. Investing in preventing child undernutrition has both immediate and later life benefits for children and society. To prevent child undernutrition, promote optimal growth and development, nutrition interventions should target the 1000-days window of opportunity. Aim and objectives: This thesis aimed to assess infant feeding practices in the Matebeleland region of Zimbabwe. The objectives were to (i) explore factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding, (ii) estimate nutrient intake and assess nutritional quality of infants' diets and (iii) formulate and pilot food-based feeding recommendations for infants. Methods: This thesis employed mixed methods. The breastfeeding study and piloting of feeding recommendations were qualitative, whilst the food intake and linear programming studies were quantitative. Results: Diets consumed by infants in the Matebeleland region are predominantly plant-based and poor in both diversity and micronutrient density. The diets do not meet calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamin B3 requirements for 9-11 month-old infants. Urban infants and those from wealthier households had higher median nutrient intakes than infants from rural and poor households did, respectively. Conclusion: Diets consumed by infants in the Matebeleland region are poor in diversity and micronutrient density and cannot meet calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamin B3 requirements for the 9-11 months target group. Maize meal fortification improved the micronutrient density of the diets.