In this presentation the current breast feeding practices in India and Uttar Pradesh is shown. The data taken is from NFHS.

1. SCENARIO OF BREAST FEEDING
PRACTICES IN INDIA AND UTTAR
PRADESH
DR. APARNA JAIN
JR2, COMMUNITY MEDICINE
KING GEORGE MEDICAL COLLEGE
LUCKNOW

2. Indicators measuring and evaluating infant feeding practices are :
• THE EVER BREAST FED RATE
• THE EXCLUSIVE BREAST FEEDING RATE
• THE TIMELY COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING RATE
• THE CONTINUED BREAST FEEDING RATE AND
• THE BOTTLE FEEDING RATE

3. Various National Level Surveys ,measuring these indicators ,are being conducted
in India . They include:
• MICS (MULTIPLE INDICATOR CLUSTRE SURVEY) – UNICEF
• DLHS (DISTRICT LEVEL HOUSEHOLD AND FACILITY SURVEY)
• NFHS (NATIONAL FAMILY HEALTH SURVEY)
• RSOC (RAPID SURVEY ON CHILDREN)

4. The following line charts depicts the scenario of breast feeding practices data
collected from NFHS and RSOC for India and Uttar Pradesh.

5. 41.1 41.2
46.4
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
NFHS - 1 NFHS -2 NFHS -3
%OFCHILDREN
NATIONAL FAMILY HEALTH SURVEY
EXCLUSIVE BREAST FEEDING (till 6 months of age) IN INDIA

6. 9.5
15
24.5
4.7
6.5 7.5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
NFHS - 1 NFHS-2 NFHS -3
INITIATION OF BREAST FEEDING WITHIN ONE HOUR OF BIRTH
IN INDIA AND UTTAR PRADESH
INDIA
UTTAR PRADESH

7. 26.3
37
55.3
11.6 13
23.7
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
NFHS -1 NFHS -2 NFHS -3
INTIATION OF BREAST FEEDING WITHIN ONE DAY OF BIRTH IN
INDIA AND UTTAR PRADESH
INDIA
UTTAR PRADESH

8. 96 95.7 94.6 96.3 95.4 96 94.4 90.1
7.3
15.9
54.8
25
10.7 14.1
3.7
33.5
23.7
52.6
82.3
63.6
45.1
54
30
71
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
STATE WISE SCENARIO OF BREAST FEEDING PRACTICES
(NFHS-3)
% EVER BF % INITIATED BF WITHIN AN HOUR % INITIATED BF WITHIN A DAY

9. 1.4
1.9
2
2.5
2.2
2.4
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
NFHS -1 NFHS -2 NFHS -3
MEDIAN DURATION (IN MONTHS ) OF EXCLUSIVE BREAST
FEEDING
INDIA
UTTAR PRADESH

10. 64
62.8
62.2
62.4
62.6
62.8
63
63.2
63.4
63.6
63.8
64
64.2
NFHS -1 NFHS -2
SCENARIO OF COLOSTRUM DISCARDATION BY FEMALES
IN INDIA
% FEMALES WHO DISCARDED COLOSTRUM

11. 64.9
62.2
44.6
22.5
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
INDIA UTTAR PRADESH
RAPID SURVEY ON CHIDREN (RSOC) - 2013-14
0-5 m EBF
0-23 m BF
IMMEDIATELY/WITHIN
AN HOUR OF BIRTH

12. 27
59.5
31.5
65.5
40
31.5
58
72
80
86
53
69.5
44
54
64.5
85
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
WBTi : SCORES OF DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
2005 2013

13. RESEARCHER RESEARCH QUESTION RESULTS
Gupta P. et al , Newborn Care Practices in Urban
Slums of Lucknow City, UP
Only 36.6% mothers initiated breast-feeding within 1 h of
birth
and 30.2% initiated after 1 day.
Roy M P. et al, Determinants of Prelacteal Feeding
in Rural Northern India( lucknow)
40.1% of mothers gave prelacteal feeding to their newborn
Shukla M. et al, Infant and young child feeding
practices of mothers attending
immunisation clinic at a tertiary
care hospital of Lucknow
Breastfeeding (BF) was initiated within one hour of birth
in 18.3% of children.
Pre-lacteal feeds were given to 23.4% of the children
Colostrum was given by 67.9% of the mothers
Exclusive breastfeeding (6 months )was 53.8%.
Complementary feeding was initiated at 6 months in
32.8% of children.
RESEARCHES CONDUCTED IN LUCKNOW UNDER OUR DEPARTMENT

14. • Undernutrition is a contributory factor in one third to half of all deaths taking
place in children under five years of age.
• 43 percent children in India under five years are reported to be underweight and
48 percent are stunted (NFHS-3; 2005-06).
• Onset of malnutrition occurs in the very early years of growth. Even during first
six months of life, when most children are breastfed, 20-30 percent are
underweight. Underweight prevalence increases rapidly from birth to age 20-23
months.

15. • One of the key reasons for undernutrition in early life is the faulty and sub-
optimal infant and young child feeding practices, which is further compounded
by factors such as low birth weight and repeated episodes of illnesses like
diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections .
• The first two years of life provide a critical window of opportunity for ensuring
appropriate growth and development of children through optimal feeding.

16. In accordance to the present scenario, first 1000 days of a child is critical and if we implement
correct breast feeding practices and timely complementary feeding practices we can reduce the
percentage of malnutrition and undernutrition in children.