This years’ theme for the Kenya’s November Malezi Bora campaign is ‘Good Nutrition for a better life.’ Winnie Nzioka, 21, a registered nutrition expert based in Embu Level V Hospital, Kenya says, “Malezi Bora is a campaign that encourages good care for babies under-five years and entails de-worming, vitamin A supplementation, and nutritional education to the caregivers.”
“Complementary feeding is the child’s transition from exclusive breastfeeding to family foods, solids and liquids and should start at the age of six months,” Says Winnie. “At this time, breast milk is not sufficient to cater for the child’s nutritional requirements and that is why you need to complement with other foods. It is also a very vulnerable period for the growing child as malnutrition starts in many infants contributing to high prevalence of malnutrition to children under five worldwide.” The World Health Organization estimates that 2 out of every 5 children in low-income countries are stunted.
“Complementary feeding needs to be adequate. It should be given in amounts, frequency, consistency and using a variety of foods required to cover the nutritional needs of a growing child while maintaining breastfeeding. Breastfeeding should go on until a child is two years but it should take lesser time than the actual feeding,” she says.
“At the age of six months, one should start with thick porridge and milk. From seven to eight months, one should introduce well mashed foods. At nine to eleven months one can introduce finely chopped foods. From twelve to 24 months, the child can be introduced fully to family foods.”
“At this age the caregivers do not have to prepare different foods for the baby and the family.” Yet they should consider that a child requires balanced diet. “If the family is taking rice and cabbages, that food is not adequate for a growing child. The family should always observe that they are eating balanced diet so that the kid can get all the required nutrients,” she advises.
“One should also ensure that the child is having snacks which can include fruits and yoghurt but not biscuits and cakes.”
On the amount, “a child should be gradually introduced to feeds and amounts increased gradually as the child grows. For a start, one should start with three to four table spoonfuls of thick porridge per feed, given two to three times in a day accompanied by frequent breastfeeding.”
“Mashed foods should include one or two starches only and are usually sourced from what the local communities normally feed on. One should also ensure that carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins are added adequately. Most people normally mash potatoes or green bananas and add some green vegetables and continue feeding the child that way until it is one year. This is grossly inadequate since there are no proteins and the child is at a high risk of developing malnutrition.”
“You find many parents of children around eight months who do not give them eggs claiming that the child is not yet of age to feed on such. Such parents forget that these proteins are much more important than the mashed potatoes they commonly give.” Proteins are required for body building and growth which happen rapidly in children. Proteins can be gotten from liver, kidney, minced meat, eggs and plant sources. “Caregivers should introduce different types of proteins. Mashed potatoes should be added to cereals such as green grams and beans and they must be given on daily basis.”
“Carbohydrates are important since they provide energy required for the active child. At the age of eight months, a child can comfortably eat rice, pasta, spaghetti, indomies. Caregivers should give different food varieties since children also get bored hence the refusal to feed associated with many of them. If a caregiver gives mashed potatoes at lunch meal, they should not give similar food for dinner. Giving different foods at different ages allows the child to also know the different kinds of foods they are supposed to eat,” says Winnie.
“Vegetables need to be given continuously since they contain vitamins and micronutrients required.”
“Fruits should be given as a snack and should not be given as a mixture of fruits. Giving a fruit one at a time allows the child to identify different kinds of fruits and allows the caregivers to know which fruits the child like most. Caregivers should also consider the age of the child while giving the fruits.”
“Many parents are not aware of the role of micronutrients in a child’s growth hence do not pay attention to them. Micronutrients deficiencies can lead a child to have hidden hunger. A child can have normal height and weight but the hair is thin,” she says. Micronutrients include vitamin A, B complexes, C, D, iron, zinc, calcium, and iodine among others. Sources include fruits and milk.