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3.2 Infant & Young Child Feeding

Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding

The World Health Assembly and UNICEF endorsed this strategy in 2002.

The aim of the Global Strategy is to improve, through optimal feeding

  • the nutritional status,
  • growth and development,
  • health,
  • and thus the survival of infants and young children.

The Global Strategy is based on the evidence of nutrition's significance in the early months and years of life, and of the crucial role that appropriate feeding practices play in achieving optimal health outcomes. Lack of breastfeeding, and especially lack of exclusive breastfeeding during the first half-year of life, are important risk factors for infant and childhood morbidity and mortality that are only compounded by inappropriate complementary feeding. The life-long impact includes poor school performance, reduced productivity, and impaired intellectual and social development. 1

It supports breastfeeding for two years and beyond, with the addition of adequate, safe and appropriate complementary feeding after the first six months. It also supports maternal nutrition, and social and community support.

Does your Unit have a copy of this document?

If your Unit does not have a copy of this document it can be obtained, for a small cost, from the World Health Organisation website. Click on the icon to be taken to the order form. While at the website order Implementing the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding at the same time - it is a free publication.

Alternatively, you could download the Strategy for no cost from PDFthe World Health Organisation website.

Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding

Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding

Notes

  1. # World Health Organization (2003) Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding