Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2001-2002 - Measure DHS

11.2 COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING11.2.1 Types of Complementary FoodsIn line with the WHO/UNICEF global strategy on infants and young child feeding, the Zambiagovernment recommends 6 months as the optimal age to introduce complementary foods. This is becauseafter 6 months of age, breast milk alone is not sufficient to meet all the nutrition requirements of theinfant. The period after 6 months of age is a crucial time for children because they are being introduced tothe family diet, and a number of issues come into force. These include income, hygiene, general care, andchoice of complementary foods.The spread of HIV/AIDS has created another challenge for breastfeeding. In some cases, earlyintroduction of breast milk substitutes has resulted from fear of transmitting the HIV virus from themother to child. Zambia is putting in place legislation under the Food and Drugs Act to control themarketing of breast milk substitutes by baby food manufacturers. The purpose is to prevent the aggressivemarketing of breast milk substitutes, hence, protecting breastfeeding practices.Table 11.4 presents information on the different types of food that are given to children in thefirst three years of life. This is regardless of whether the child is breastfeeding or not. It is important tonote that the categories presented in Table 11.4 are not exclusive. The child who consumed milk couldalso have consumed semi-solid foods. According to the findings, among breastfeeding infants in Zambia,very few receive infant formula. Seventy-one percent of breastfeeding children age 4-5 months areintroduced to solid or semi-solid foods and more than half (57 percent) are introduced to foods made fromgrains.Nutrition among Children and Women │ 169