Skip to contents

Complementary Feeding Indicators - Other

Nicholus Tint Zaw

cf_oth.Rmd

Introduction

This is the subset of complementary feeding indicators which are not related in calculating minimum acceptable diet indicator. There are 5 indicators which fall into this category and we are going to explin how riycf package can use for calcuation of each single indicators mentioned below.

  1. Introduction Of Solid, Semi-solid Or Soft Foods 6-8 months (ISSSF)
  2. Egg And/Or Flesh Food Consumption 6-23 Months (EFF)
  3. Sweet Beverage Consumption 6-23 Months (SwB)
  4. Unhealthy Food Consumption 6-23 Months (UFC)
  5. Zero Vegetable Or Fruit Consumption 6-23 Months (ZVF)

Dataset Set-up

Firstly, load the required libraries for data analysis work. We will use riycf package for the IYCF indicator generation work.

library(riycf)

For this guideline demonstration, we will use the sample dataset provided by the CARE Myanmar team on IYCF modules. A detailed description of the variable’s name and variable labels are mentioned in the documentation. Use the following syntax to check for the dataset description.

?iycfData

df <- iycfData
head(df[1:5])
#>   csex calc_age_months child_bf child_eibf child_eibf_hrs
#> 1    1               5        1          0             NA
#> 2    1               4        1          0             NA
#> 3    1               2        1          0             NA
#> 4    1               0        1          0             NA
#> 5    1               2        1          0             NA
#> 6    1               2        1          0             NA

This dataset contains 359 observations and 46 variables, and all variables were organized based on the WHO IYCF sample questionnaire. We tried to mention explicitly matching function inputs parameters and question numbers from the WHO IYCF sample question. If your dataset did not have the same variables as the WHO sample one, please apply the most relevant ones in the respective input parameter.

Complementary Feeding Indicators

Introduction Of Solid, Semi-solid Or Soft Foods 6-8 Months (ISSSF)

The introduction of a semi-solid food indicator accounts for the 6-8 months old children who receive the solid (or semi-solid food) during the previous day. Here, we don’t use the self-reported variable “number of meal frequency” feeding in this calculation. Instead, we use the dietary recall variables from WHO IYCF sample question Question 7A to Question 7R. If the children received one of the food items from those questions, those children are considered to have been introduced to solid, semi-solid, or soft food (ISSF). Use the get_dummy function to create the dummy variable for solid food consumption from all solid food diet recall questions.

solid <- list(df$child_rice, df$child_potatoes, df$child_pumpkin, df$child_beans, 
              df$child_leafyveg, df$child_mango, df$child_fruit, df$child_organ, 
              df$child_beef, df$child_fish, df$child_insects, df$child_eggs, 
              df$child_yogurt,  df$child_fat, df$child_plam, df$child_sweets, 
              df$child_condiments)

df$solid_food <- get_dummy(var_list = solid)

Then, use the get_isssf function to get the number of children who meet this indicator definition or not.

df$isssf <- get_isssf(solid_food = df$solid_food, 
                      age = df$calc_age_months)
table(df$isssf)
#> 
#>  0  1 
#>  3 24

Egg And/Or Flesh Food Consumption 6-23 Months (EFF)

Another indicator related to complementary feeding is EFF, which accounts for 6-23 months children get eggs and/or flesh food in the previous day. We can use get_dummy to create the dummy variable to indicate who got those food or not.

According to the WHO guideline, the following questions were considered in the sweet beverage foods category.

  • Question 7I: Liver, kidney, heart
  • Question 7J: Sausages, hot dogs, ham, bacon, salami, canned meat
  • Question 7K: Any other meat, such as beef, pork, lamb, goat, chicken, duck
  • Question 7L: Eggs
  • Question 7M: Fresh fish, dried fish or shellfish
egg_meat <- list(df$child_organ, df$child_beef, df$child_fish, df$child_insects, df$child_eggs)

df$egg_meat <- get_dummy(var_list = egg_meat)

Then, using get_eff to calculate EFF indicator using the dummy variable created before and the child age variable.

df$eff <- get_eff(egg_meat = df$egg_meat, 
                  age = df$calc_age_months)
table(df$eff)
#> 
#>  0  1 
#> 38 75

Sweet Beverage Consumption 6-23 Months (SwB)

We can use the Sweet Beverage Consumption indicator to identify the children who get the sweet beverage food from the previous day. Like other indicators from this complementary feeding indicator, use get_dummy to identify the children who get those types of food, and then calculate the specific indicator “SwB” using get_swb.

According to the WHO guideline, the following questions were considered in the sweet beverage foods category.

  • Question 6Cswt: Milk from animals - sweet or flavored type milk
  • Question 6Dswt: Yogurt drinks - sweet or flavored type yogurt
  • Question 6E: Chocolate-flavored drinks
  • Question 6F: Fruit juice or fruit-flavored drinks
  • Question 6G: Sodas, malt drinks, sports drinks or energy drinks
  • Question 6Hswt: Tea, coffee, or herbal drinks - sweetened
  • Question 6Jswt: Other liquids - sweetened
sweet <- list(df$child_milk_sweet, df$child_mproduct_sweet, df$child_chocolate, 
              df$child_juice, df$child_soda,  df$child_tea_sweet, 
              df$child_oth_drink_swee)

df$sweet <- get_dummy(var_list = sweet)

df$swb <- get_swb(sweet = df$sweet, 
                  age = df$calc_age_months)
table(df$swb)
#> < table of extent 0 >

Unhealthy Food Consumption 6-23 Months (UFC)

According to the definition, this indicator account for the two types of foods from the diet recall; Question 7P (sentinel sweet foods) and Question 7Q (sentinel fried and salty foods). We are using the get_dummy function to create the dummy variable, which indicates whether the child took food from the previous day or not. Then, We can use the get_ufc function to calculate the indicator.

unhealthy <- list(df$child_sweets, df$child_condiments)

df$unhealthy <- get_dummy(var_list = unhealthy)

df$ufc <- get_ufc(unhealthy = df$unhealthy, 
                  age = df$calc_age_months)
table(df$ufc)
#> 
#>  0  1 
#> 44 69

Zero Vegetable Or Fruit Consumption 6-23 Months (ZVF)

This indicator calculates for the 6-23 months of children who did not consume any vegetables or fruits during the previous day. Using the list of vegetables and fruits questions from the diet recall module (questions), we can use the get_dummy function to calculate the dummy variable. Then, apply that variable to the get_zvf to get the number of children who did or did not consume vegetables or fruits the previous day.

According to the guideline, the fruit and vegetable questions list was recommended as follows. However, if your survey did not have that complete list of questions (variables), apply relevant to the indicator definition.

  • Questions 7C: Vitamin A-rich yellow/orange vegetables
  • Questions 7E: Dark green leafy vegetables
  • Questions 7F: Other vegetables
  • Questions 7G: Vitamin A-rich fruits
  • Questions 7H: Other fruits
vege_fruit <- list(df$child_pumpkin, df$child_leafyveg, df$child_mango, df$child_fruit)

df$vege_fruit <- get_dummy(var_list = vege_fruit)

df$zvf <- get_zvf(vege_fruit = df$vege_fruit, 
                  age = df$calc_age_months)
table(df$zvf)
#> 
#>  0  1 
#> 59 54