Is Infant and Young Child-feeding (IYCF) a potential double-duty strategy to prevent the double burden of malnutrition among children at the critical age? Evidence of association from urban slums in Pune, Maharashtra, India

Background This study characterized undernutrition among children (0–24 months) by age groups specified for Infant and Young Child-feeding (IYCF) and determined the association between child malnutrition and IYCF. Methods This cross-sectional survey recruited mother-children dyads (N = 1443). WHO standards were used to assess nutritional status and IYCF indicators. Multivariate analyses were performed to assess the association between IYCF and nutritional indicators. Results Stunting, underweight, wasting, overweight, and obesity were prevalent in 33.1%, 26%, 20.2%, 4.6%, and 2.9% of the children, respectively. Age-wise distribution of undernutrition identified severity of stunting and underweight at 10–24 months (median < -1.6 SD; < -1.2 SD; 25th percentile at -2.6 & -2.2 SD respectively) and wasting highest at 0–6 months (25th percentile close to -2SD). Boys manifested higher stunting (lower value -5.2 SD) and were more wasted (lower value -4.7 SD). IYCF prevalence recorded early initiation at 45.2%, exclusive breastfeeding at 23.1%, and prelacteal and bottle-feeding at 37.5 and 22.5% respectively. Child minimum diet diversity (MDD) ≥4 was not achieved by 84%. Minimum meal frequency and minimum acceptable diet were achieved by 75% and 14% respectively. Bottle-feeding increased the odds of wasting [AOR: 1.501 (95% CI: 1.062–2.121)], severe stunting [AOR: 1.595 (95% CI: 1.079–2.358)] and underweight [AOR: 1.519 (95% CI 1.102–2.094)]. Wasting according to BAZ scores was associated with delayed initiation of breastfeeding [AOR: 1.387 (95% CI: 1.018–1.889)] and bottle feeding [AOR: 1.538 (95% CI: 1.087–2.175)]. Delayed introduction of complementary feeding increased the odds of severe stunting [AOR: 2.189 (95% CI: 1.090–4.399)]. Formula feeding increased the odds of underweight [AOR: 1.738 (95% CI: 1.046–2.888)] and obesity [AOR: 4.664 (95% CI: 1.351–16.10)]. Prelacteal feeding increased the odds of severe forms of stunting and underweight by 56% and 79% respectively, and overweight by 96%. Conclusion Setting and age-specific interventions to improve age-appropriate child-feeding practices are vital to address the double burden of malnutrition in the critical age group.