# **Appendix Table 1: Dietary metrics for infants and young children – definitions and data source characteristics**

|**Dietary intake variables**|**Indicator definition**|**Data source**|**Data**<br>|**Notes**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**_Infants< 6 months_**<br>|||**availability**<br>||
|**Exclusive breastfeeding**<br>under six months (EBF)|percentage of infants 0–5 months<br>of age who were fed exclusively<br>with breast milk during the<br>previous day|UNICEF<br>Global<br>Database|N=136<br>countries;<br>most recent<br>survey year|EBF is defined as breastfeeding with no other food or<br>drink, not even water.|
|**_Infants and young children_**<br>|<br>**_6-23 months_**<br>||<br>||
|**Minimum Diet Diversity**<br>6-23 months (MDD)|percentage of children 6–23<br>months of age who consumed<br>foods and beverages fromat least<br>five out of eightdefined food<br>groups during the previous day|UNICEF<br>Global<br>Database|N=107<br>countries;<br>most recent<br>survey year|The eight food groups are: 1. breast milk; 2. grains,<br>roots, tubers and plantains; 3. pulses (beans, peas,<br>lentils), nuts and seeds; 4. dairy products (milk, infant<br>formula, yogurt, cheese); 5. flesh foods (meat, fish,<br>poultry, organ meats); 6. eggs; 7. vitamin-A rich fruits<br>and vegetables; and 8. other fruits and vegetables.<br>There is no minimum quantity of food or beverage from<br>a food group required to count.|
|**Egg and/or flesh food**<br>**consumption 6-23 months**<br>**(EFF)**|Percentage of children 6–23<br>months of age who consumed egg<br>and/or flesh food during the<br>previous day|UNICEF<br>Global<br>Database|N=106<br>countries,<br>most recent<br>survey year|Based on consumption of food groups 5 (flesh foods:<br>meat, fish, poultry, organ meats) and 6 (eggs). Children<br>are counted if either food group has been consumed.|
|**Zero vegetable or fruit**<br>**consumption 6-23 months**<br>**(ZVF)**|Percentage of children 6–23<br>months of age who did not<br>consume any vegetables or fruits<br>during the previous day|UNICEF<br>Global<br>Database|N=106<br>countries,<br>most recent<br>survey year|Based on consumption of food groups 7 (vitamin A-rich<br>fruits and vegetables) and 8 (other fruits and vegetables).<br>Plantains, starchy roots and tubers in food group 2 (such as<br>white potatoes, yams and cassava) do not count.|
|**Sweet beverage**<br>**consumption 6-23 months**<br>**(SwB)**|Percentage of children 6–23<br>months of age who consumed<br>a sweet beverage during the<br>previous day|https://data.uni<br>cef.org/wp-<br>content/uploads<br>/2021/09/UNIC<br>EF_Expanded_<br>Global_Databa<br>ses_Unhealthy_<br>practices_2022.<br>xlsx|Recently<br>added to<br>DHS and<br>MICS<br>surveys;<br>very few<br>country<br>data as yet|Sweet beverages include commercially produced and<br>packaged, sweetened beverages<br>such as soda pop, fruit-flavoured drinks, sports drinks,<br>chocolate and other flavoured milk drinks, malt drinks, etc;<br>100% fruit juice as well as fruit-flavoured drinks; home-<br>made drinks of any kind to which sweeteners have been<br>added.|
|**Unhealthy food**<br>**consumption 6-23 months**<br>**(UFC)**|Percentage of children 6–23<br>months of age who consumed<br>selected sentinel unhealthy foods<br>during the previous day|https://data.uni<br>cef.org/wp-<br>content/uploads<br>/2021/09/UNIC|Recently<br>added to<br>DHS and<br>MICS: only|“sentinel unhealthy foods” are foods that are likely to be<br>consumed by IYC and are high in sugar, salt and/or<br>unhealthy fats. These include four categories of unhealthy<br>foods: 1) candies, chocolates and other sugar confections;|

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