Challenges in the Elaboration of a Field Interview Instrument to Capture Information for the Evaluation of Adherence to the WHO/PAHO Guiding Principles for Complementary Feeding of the Breastfed Child

Abstract

Background. In 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) published "Guiding principles for complementary feeding of the breastfed child, " which includes a series of 10 recommendations.Objective. IntroductionAppropriate infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are critical to prevent growth-faltering, micronutrient deficiencies, and infectious illnesses in developing countries. For the first half-year of life, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for infant feeding are concise: initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hour after birth and exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months [1]. In contrast, the period of transition from exclusive breastfeeding to family foods, from 6 to 23 months, includes a series of complex feeding behaviors making this a nutritionally vulnerable period. The WHO/Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) 2003 document entitled "Guiding principles for complementary feeding of the breastfed child"[2] provides 10 principles for IYCF (summarized in table 1) accompanied by the scientific rationale for each recommendation. The WHO/PAHO Guiding Principles serve as a basis for evaluation of the WHO recommendations and are intended to guide policy and programmatic action at the global, national, and community levels.Although appropriate complementary feeding practices are critical, large-scale action to improve behaviors has been held back by the limited knowledge of the degree of adherence to the WHO/PAHO Guiding Principles [2]

Efeito de intervenção no cumprimento das recomendações alimentares no primeiro ano de vida: ensaio clínico randomizado com mães adolescentes e avós maternas

“…Essa dificuldade também foi encontrada por outros pesquisadores, quando tentaram criar um escore para avaliar as recomendações alimentares infantis preconizadas pela OMS 39 .…”

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Analyzing Wealth-Dependent Effects of WASH and Nutritional Resources on Child Health in Guatemala

“…Even with developing this more nuanced breastfeeding variable, there are significant limitations. The reader is encouraged to explore further discussions of breastfeeding at Vossenaar and colleagues, 22 the WHO, 23 Peven and colleagues, 24 and Dukuzumuremyi and colleagues, 25 among others. Due to data limitations, this constructed variable was only possible with the ENSMI survey data.…”