MCSP Nutrition Brief: Key Country Experiences in Addressing Junk Food Consumption in Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition Programming

Junk food consumption can contribute to the 'double burden of malnutrition', which is defined as the dual burden of undernutrition and overweight/obesity occurring simultaneously within a population. Countries experiencing a 'nutrition transition' are characterized by several key factors, including increasing consumption of junk foods, and a growing number of meals purchased and/or consumed away from home. Families in both urban and rural areas are affected by increased access to unhealthy, processed foods, as the prevalence of child overweight is rising in many low- and middle-income countries. A cross-sectional survey conducted in four urban Asian and African contexts found that 23-74% of children 6-23 months of age had consumed a commercially prepared snack food the previous day. It is imperative that efforts to improve maternal, infant, and young child nutrition practices and nutritional status in low- and middle-income countries address the consumption of low-nutrient, processed foods. Improved maternal, infant, and young child nutrition practices are part of the solution to reach a 40% reduction in the number of children under 5 years of age who are stunted and no increase in childhood overweight, as outlined in World Health Assembly 2025 targets. Junk foods are defined as foods that are unhealthy, which contain added sugar, are high in fat, and/or high in salt. These foods are low in nutrient content. Processed foods are any food which is not in its raw and natural state, and can include healthy foods, such as fortified complementary foods. MCSP worked with countries to address junk food consumption within the context of maternal, infant, and young child nutrition programming. Using formative assessments, implementation research, and e-learning, MCSP developed culturally relevant messages and counseling materials on junk food consumption in Egypt, Kenya, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Guatemala. The development of key counseling messages and materials on junk food consumption were based on the formative assessments or research using the Trials of Improved Practices (TIPs) in Egypt, Kenya, and Mozambique. The TIPs methodology identifies barriers, solutions to the barriers, and facilitating factors to practicing optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices. The key counseling messages to address feeding problems in Egypt, Kenya, and Mozambique focused on stopping the consumption of non-nutritive liquids or foods, such as potato chips, store-bought small sponge-cakes filled with creme, soda, and sugary cakes, cookies, and soft drinks. Instead, mothers were encouraged to give their children healthier snacks, such as fruits, nuts, and porridge.