Unit 2: Health Effects of Complementary Feeding

Micronutrient deficiencies are especially prevalent among infants and young children in developing countries because  the high nutrient needs relative to energy intake during infancy and limited economic resources make the provision of safe, nutrient dense foods in infancy difficult (Dewey & Adu-Afarwuah 2008). To compound these factors, frequent infections during infancy negatively impact appetite, nutrient absorption and nutrient loss (Dewey & Adu-Afarwuah 2008). However, deficiencies in certain nutrients, such as iron, are not limited only to disadvantaged infants but are found in infants of all socioeconomic groups (Dewey & Adu-Afarwuah 2008). Table 4 lists the global death and DALYs from specific micronutrient deficiencies in young children.

Table 4: Childhood Deaths and DALYs Attributed to Micronutrient Deficiencies

Source: Black et al. 2008, reprinted from The Lancet with permission from Elservier

Find detailed information concerning specific micronutrients, implications in case of deficiencies and micronutrient intake recommendations in Unit 1.