A Global Complementary Feeding Call to Action
Working together for lasting change
Call to Action
The complementary feeding period (from ages 6 to 23 months) is a critical time during a child’s development.
Nutritious diets during this time give young children the nutrients they need to grow, develop and thrive, while setting the stage for healthy dietary preferences and patterns that can last a lifetime. Conversely, poor diets in early childhood jeopardize survival, growth and development; compromise learning, school achievement and lifelong earning; and ultimately, threaten human capital and undermine the development of children, communities and nations.
Yet today, only one in three children aged 6 to 23 months receives a diet with the minimum dietary diversity needed for healthy growth and cognitive development. One in four children aged 6 to 23 months are living in severe child food poverty, 148 million children are affected by stunting, 45 million are suffering from wasting and 37 million are living with overweight and obesity.
UNICEF and WHO are leading a Global Complementary Feeding Collective to place the diets of the youngest children at the forefront of global, regional and national agendas.
We call upon governments, policymakers, and civil society to:
Establish national complementary feeding guidelines aligned with global standards.
Stimulate the production of and access to nutritious foods that can be included in young children's diets.
Deliver quality counselling and nutrition services.
Provide appropriate food supplements, home fortificants and micronutrients for vulnerable children.
Set and enforce standards for safety, quality and labelling of all commercially produced complementary foods.
End inappropriate marketing and promotion of food for infants and young children.
Leverage the social protection system to make appropriate complementary foods accessible for vulnerable families.
Enhance accountability through robust data systems.