According to a recently released UNICEF report, five out of six children under the age of two lack adequate nutrition for their cognitive and physical wellbeing.
One in five have received no solid foods at all by the age of 11 months, and half of all children receive less than the minimum recommended number of proper meals.
The report declares: “Too often, feeding children is considered a private matter for families… However, children’s diets are a shared responsibility… Government leadership and contributions from key sectors of society – including health, agriculture, water and sanitation, social protection and education – as well as the private sector and families and communities, are needed to guarantee that nutritious food is available, affordable, safe and provided with care to all children.”
The conclusions are printed in part two of the report, From the First Hour of Life: a new report on infant and young child feeding.
For a quick digest, the findings are summarised on the Nutraingredients website – UNICEF cracks down on inappropriate infant food promotion.