Low rates of breast feeding in India require national action, says report

India should monitor and prioritise breast feeding and optimum feeding practices to improve breast feeding rates, says a recent report from the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi).1

In 2015 India scored 78/150 in the WBTi’s assessment of 15 factors in “policy and programmes” and “infant and young child feeding”—only a small improvement from 68/150 in 2005. India ranks poorly alongside other South Asian countries such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and even Afghanistan, which made significant progress in its assessment from 30/150 …