Microsoft Word - AMICS-29Jan2013 - Childinfo.org

Percentage of children age 0-23 months who were appropriately breastfed during the previous day, Afghanistan, 2010-2011
Children age 0-5 months Children age 6-23 months Children age 0-23 months
Percent
exclusively
breastfed 1
Number
of
children
Percent currently
breastfeeding and
receiving solid, semisolid
or soft foods
Number
of children
Percent
appropriately
breastfed 2
Number
of children
Primary 58.8 80 33.6 201 40.7 281
Secondary + 36.4 84 26.2 174 29.5 258
Wealth index quintile
Poorest 57.8 185 30.6 710 36.3 895
Second 54.2 257 33.9 758 39.0 1,014
Middle 54.6 235 26.5 708 33.5 943
Fourth 51.6 249 29.3 695 35.2 944
Richest 54.2 277 33.4 668 39.5 945
Total 54.3 1,202 30.8 3,539 36.7 4,741
1
MICS indicator 2.6; 2 MICS indicator 2.14
Of infants aged 0-5 months, 54% are adequately fed through exclusive breastfeeding, and 31% of
infants aged 6-23 months are appropriately breastfed and receiving adequate feeding (Table 5.4).
As a result of these feeding patterns, only 37% of children aged 0-23 months are being
adequately breastfed. Infants at 0-23 months in the Central Highlands region are receiving the
most adequate feeding by the age of two, compared to other regions. In the Southern and
South Eastern regions, a radical decrease in appropriate feeding practice is observed among
infants aged 6-23 months.
Adequate complementary feeding of children from six months to two years of age is particularly
important for growth and development and for the prevention of under-nutrition. Continued
breastfeeding beyond six months should be accompanied by consumption of nutritionally
adequate, safe and appropriate complementary foods that help meet nutritional requirements
when breast milk is no longer sufficient. This requires that for breastfed children, two or more
daily meals of solid, semi-solid or soft foods are needed if they are 6-8 months old, and three or
more meals daily if they are 9-23 months of age. For children 6-23 months and older who are
not breastfed, four or more daily meals of solid, semi-solid or soft foods or milk feeds are
needed. Table 5.5 shows the percentage of infants aged 6-8 months who received solid, semisolid
or soft foods during the previous day from the survey date.
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