Complementary Feeding and Malnutrition among Infants and Young Children Aged 6–23 Months in Rural Areas of China

Abstract

This study investigated the nutrition and complementary feeding (CF) of infants and young children (IYC) aged 6–23 months in rural areas of China in 2018 and explored the relationship between CF and nutritional status. We measured the length and weight, calculated the z-scores, and detected micronutrients in the hair. The status of CF was obtained from the respondents by a 24-h dietary recall. IYC were classified into clusters using a two-step cluster analysis. The CF and nutritional status of each cluster were analyzed and compared. The prevalence of stunting, wasting, and overweight in the IYC in rural Chinese areas was 7.1%, 3.0%, and 3.7%, respectively. The median levels of Ca, Fe, and Zn in hair were 550.10 µg/g, 62.94 µg/g, and 132.86 µg/g, respectively. The prevalence of meeting the requirements of minimum dietary diversity (MDD), minimum meal frequency (MMF), and minimum acceptable diet (MAD) was 68.9%, 77.9%, and 46.4%, respectively. IYC with a higher prevalence of MDD, MMF, and MAD were more inclined to maintain a healthy status. The prevalence of undernutrition and overweight of 6- to 23-month-old IYC in rural areas of China was low. However, lack of trace elements was evident, and MAD prevalence remained low.