WHO guiding principles on feeding the breastfed child and the non-breastfed child recommend that children aged 6–23 months be fed meals at an appropriate frequency and in a sufficient variety to ensure, respectively, that energy and nutrient needs are met. This indicator combines information on minimum dietary diversity and minimum meal frequency, with the extra requirement that non-breastfed children should have received milk at least twice on the previous day.

Percentage of children 6–23 months of age who consumed a minimum acceptable diet during the previous day.

Sex of child, place of residence, household wealth

Numerator: children 6–23 months of age who consumed a minimum acceptable diet during the previous day. The minimum acceptable diet is defined as: for breastfed children: receiving at least the minimum dietary diversity and minimum meal frequency for their age during the previous day. for non-breastfed children: receiving at least the minimum dietary diversity and minimum meal frequency for their age during the previous day as well as at least two milk feeds. Denominator: children 6–23 months of age. For more information, please consult Indicators for assessing infant and young child feeding practices: definitions and measurement methods. Geneva: World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 2021. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240018389

Population-weighted average

data@unicef.org

UNICEF Division of Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring

7047