Use of milk based commercial weaning foods amongst scheduled caste communities in Haryana.

Although breast milk is the best food for an infant until age 4-6 months there has been a recent trend in urban areas to increasingly provide milk-based commercial weaning foods (CWF). This study was conducted to assess the use of CWF among the scheduled caste population in two districts of Haryana State. The data presented are part of a larger study on breast feeding and weaning practices in Haryana. 818 children aged 0-35 months from 44 villages were included in the study. 68 had received milk-based CWF at the time of survey or sometime previously. There was no significant difference between the socioeconomic characteristics of children who were given milk-based CWF and those who did not receive it. 36% of women who used CWF reported having done so because of insufficient lactation while 37% cited the high price of animal milk. Family members were the most important source of advice for initiating the use of CWF followed by medical functionaries. 65% of all children surveyed received home-based weaning foods. The percentages of children receiving such foods in the age groups 0-5 6-11 12-17 18-23 24-29 and 30-35 months were 1% 56% 77% 97% 95% and 96% respectively. Only 73.7% of children older than age 3 months were breastfed together with CWF.