Abstract:
It is well recognized that the age of 6-23 months is a complementary feeding period which has
the most critical influence on the growth and development of an infant. The incidence of growth
faltering, and micronutrient deficiencies is highest in this period as children have high demand
for nutrients and there are insufficiencies in the quality and quantity of complementary foods.
Improving feeding practices in this critical window of period is therefore among the most costeffective strategies to improve overall infant health and ensure their nutritional wellbeing. This
could be ensured by enabling mothers/caregivers to appropriately feed their children with safe
and adequate complementary foods while maintaining frequent breastfeeding.
The quality of children‟s diets is more important before age two years than at any other time in
life. Appropriate complementary foods and feeding practices contribute to child survival, growth
and development. However, children may not receive safe and appropriate complementary foods
at the right age, at the right frequency or in adequate quality.
Globally, complementary feeding practice is far from the WHO recommendations. Only about
65% of infants 6-8 months of age are fed solid, semisolid, or soft foods, less than one third
(29%) of the children aged 6-23 months fulfill the minimum dietary diversity, half (52%) have
the minimum meal frequency, and only one in six (16%) have the minimum acceptable diet. The
situation is particularly worrying for the youngest children (6-11 months).
Attaining the recommended level of adequacy of an infant‟s diet remains a serious challenge in
many developing countries. Complementary foods are mainly starchy-staples that lack the
desired nutrient quality, amount, and density with limited consumption of animal-source foods,
fruits and vegetables. In Ethiopia, inappropriate complementary feeding practices have been
widely reported. Complementary foods are untimely introduced (either too early or too late),
limited dietary diversity, and inadequate in calories. According to the Ethiopian Demographic
Health Survey 2016, only 60% of children aged 6-8 months consumed solid, semisolid, or soft
foods, 14% met the minimum dietary diversity, 45% had the minimum meal frequency, and 7%
fulfilled the minimum dietary diversity.
