Early Nutrition Matters

Infants and Children Under Two Years
In developing countries, stunting (short for age) affects up to 64% of children less than five years of age, underweight (weight low for age) affects up to 56%, and wasting (weight low for length) affects up to 25%. Undernutrition, inappropriate breastfeeding practices, and inappropriate complementary feeding practices contribute significantly to most cases of impaired growth. Children with impaired growth resulting from undernutrition are at increased risk of infection, cognitive deficits, and even death. Like low-birthweight infants, they are more likely to become small adults.

Key Messages
  • Nutrition of infants and children during their first two years is critical to their growth, development, and health–both during early growth and over the long term.
  • Improving breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices will help to promote normal growth and development and decrease the worldwide prevalence of growth faltering of infants and young children.
  • Some infants have special needs that require fortified breastmilk, nutrient-enriched formulas, and/or specific nutrient supplements. Such infants include many born prematurely and/or at low birthweight, those without exposure to sunlight, and those who have frequent recurrent infections or other chronic medical conditions that increase their nutrient requirements.


Recommendations

  • Promote and support exclusive breastfeeding for six months, with the introduction of complementary foods and continued breastfeeding thereafter—up to two years of age or longer as mutually desired by the mother and infant.
  • Promote and support programs to ensure that pregnant and breastfeeding mothers receive adequate nutrient intakes.
  • Promote the appropriate introduction of safe, nutritionally adequate, and developmentally appropriate complementary foods.
  • Ensure that the needs of nutritionally-at-risk infants are met, giving special attention to preterm and/or low-birthweight infants.


Strategies to support these recommendations include implementation of appropriate world health initiatives and resolutions to support breastfeeding. In addition, leaders must support expansion of programs that combine growth monitoring, nutritional education and advice, immunizations, vitamin/mineral supplementation where appropriate and medical services.