Malawi 2015-16

Minimum acceptable diet
Proportion of children age 6-23 months who receive a minimum acceptable
diet (apart from breast milk). This composite indicator is calculated from the
following two fractions:
and
Breastfed children age 6-23 months who had at least the minimum dietary
diversity and the minimum meal frequency during the previous day
Breastfed children age 6-23 months
Nonbreastfed children age 6-23 months who received at least two milk
feedings and had at least the minimum dietary diversity (not including milk
feedings) and the minimum meal frequency during the previous day
Nonbreastfed children age 6-23 months
The 2015-16 MDHS indicates that 88 % of Malawian children age 6-23 months received breast milk,
breast milk substitutes, milk, or milk products (2+ times) during the day or night before the interview
(Table 11.6).
Twenty-five percent of breastfed
children had an adequately diverse
diet and had been given foods from
the appropriate number of food
groups, while 29% had been fed the
minimum number of times
appropriate for their age. The
feeding practices of only 8% of
children age 6-23 months meet the
minimum standards for all three
IYCF feeding practices. The IYCF
indicators for minimum acceptable
diet by breastfeeding status among
children age 6-23 months are
summarised in Figure 11.4.
24
Figure 11.4 IYCF indicators on minimum
acceptable diet (MAD)
30
25
Minimum dietary
diversity
(IYCF Indicator 5)
Percentage of children age 6-23 months
Breastfed Nonbreastfed All children 6-23 months
31
19
29
Minimum meal
frequency
(IYCF Indicator 6)
9
4
8
Minimum acceptable
diet
(IYCF Indicator 7)
Patterns by background characteristics
• Breastfed children are less likely than non-breastfed children to receive the minimum number of food
groups (24% and 30%, respectively).
• Children in urban areas (43%) are twice as likely as those in rural areas (22%) to have an adequately
diverse diet (Table 11.6).
• Breastfed infants (9%) are more likely to meet the minimum acceptable diets than the non-breastfed
infants (4%).
• The percentage of children who receive the minimum acceptable diet increases with the mother’s
education and wealth. For example, only 4% of children whose mothers have no education receive the
minimum acceptable diet compared with 24% of those whose mothers have more than secondary
education.
Nutrition of Children and Women • 165