Infant and Young Child Undernutrition

Malnutrition among children occurs almost entirely during the first two years of life and is virtually irreversible after that. Food interventions at schools are unlikely to address infant feeding and young child malnutrition as they cater to older children, who in fact suffer from malnutrition since they are young. The solutions to the problem emerge from a clearer distinction between hunger and malnutrition and the knowledge that child malnutrition is directly associated with inappropriate feeding practices. This requires a shift in thinking, from food-based approaches towards feeding behaviour change.