Indicator Level
Indicator Wording
Indicator Purpose
How to Collect and Analyse the Required Data
Collect the following data by conducting individual interviews with caregivers of (a representative sample of) children aged less than 6 months:
RECOMMENDED SURVEY QUESTION (Q) AND POSSIBLE ANSWERS (A)
Q1: Yesterday, during the day or at night, was [baby's name] given any breast milk?
A1: yes / no / does not know
Q2: Now, I would like to ask you about liquids that [baby's name] may have had yesterday during the day and at night. I am interested in whether your child had the item even if it was combined with other foods. Yesterday, during the day or at night, did [baby's name] receive any of the following?
Any water?
Any infant formula, such as [insert local names of common formula]?
Any animal milk?
Any juice?
Any broth?
Any yogurt or sour milk?
Any thin porridge?
Any tea or coffee with milk?
Any other water-based liquids?
A2: for all sub-questions, use one of the following answers: yes / no / does not know
To calculate the indicator's value, divide the number of children aged less than 6 months who were fed formula and/or animal milk in addition to breast milk (i.e. breast milk and formula / animal milk) during the previous day by the total number of children aged less than 6 months (excluding those where "does not know" answer was provided). Multiply the result by 100 to convert it to a percentage.
Disaggregate by
Disaggregate the data by gender, wealth, and other relevant criteria.
Important Comments
1) According to WHO/UNICEF (see below), mixed milk feeding includes any formula (e.g. infant formula, follow-on formula, “toddler milk”) or any liquid animal milk other than human breast milk, (e.g. cow’s milk, goat’s milk, evaporated milk or reconstituted powdered milk). Breastfeeding by a wet nurse, feeding of expressed breast milk and feeding of donor human milk all count as being fed breast milk. Yogurt, whether liquid or solid, is not counted here because it is not generally given as a substitute for breast milk.
Access Additional Guidance
- WHO/UNICEF (2021) Indicators for Assessing IYCF Practices (.pdf)
- FAO (2008) Guidelines for Estimating the Month and Year of Birth of Young Children (.pdf)