WHO’s complementary-feeding guideline considers animal-source foods as one part of the evidence base for diverse, nutrient-dense diets during the 6–23 month period.
How to read this guidance
Population nutrition guidance explains patterns and prevention; it does not establish an individual deficiency, excess or feeding prescription. Growth history, dietary pattern, illness, absorption, laboratory findings and the child’s developmental stage all influence interpretation.
The sections below retain the factual scope of the linked source. They add practical questions and safety-netting without claiming that a symptom, measurement or exposure proves a diagnosis in one child.
What period does WHO call complementary feeding?
WHO describes complementary feeding as the period when foods are provided in addition to milk because milk alone no longer meets all nutritional requirements, generally beginning around 6 months and continuing through 23 months.
Why does WHO focus on nutrient-dense foods?
WHO notes that this period carries a high risk of growth faltering and nutrient deficiencies, so dietary quality and diversity matter.
Where do animal-source foods fit?
WHO’s complementary-feeding materials include nutrient-dense animal-source foods such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products as part of dietary diversity for young children.
Does the WHO guideline apply only to breastfed children?
No. WHO states that its 2023 guideline considers the needs of both breastfed and non-breastfed children aged 6–23 months.
What to observe and record
- growth across repeated accurate measurements
- dietary variety, feeding skill and appetite
- energy, activity and developmental progress
- all fortified foods, supplements and medicines already used
Use a short record of foods, drinks, textures, appetite, feeding difficulty, supplements and repeated growth measurements. The purpose is to show a pattern for professional interpretation, not to diagnose a deficiency or judge one meal in isolation.
Practical next steps
- offer regular age-appropriate meals from a varied diet
- use fortification or supplementation only within recognized programmes or clinical advice
- address feeding difficulty, infection and access barriers rather than focusing on one nutrient alone
- bring labels and dose information to a nutrition or healthcare review
Make changes gradually and within an age-appropriate feeding plan. Supplements, elimination diets and fortified products should follow a recognized programme or individual professional advice, particularly when growth, allergy, swallowing or chronic illness is involved.
When urgent assessment is needed
- a child who cannot feed or drink
- marked weakness, altered alertness or severe dehydration
- visible severe wasting, swelling or rapidly declining weight
- possible overdose or serious reaction to a supplement
Young infants and children with immune, heart, lung, blood, metabolic or neurologic conditions may need earlier assessment. Use local emergency services whenever delay could be dangerous.
Preparing for a healthcare visit
Bring the food and feeding record, growth measurements and labels for supplements or fortified products. Ask whether measurement technique, feeding skill, illness or dietary pattern needs further assessment and how progress will be reviewed.
If safe, a photograph of a changing rash or brief video of an unusual movement can help show what happened outside the clinic. Never delay emergency care to make a recording. For a possibly contagious illness, telephone ahead before entering a shared waiting area.
Following the plan at home
Make sure every caregiver understands the same plan. Record meaningful changes rather than checking constantly, protect rest and hydration, and keep follow-up appointments. Improvement in one symptom does not cancel a new red flag, while one mild symptom in an otherwise well child does not establish a serious condition.
Before leaving a visit, repeat the plan back in your own words: what to do today, when to follow up, whether school or childcare attendance should change, and where to go if the child worsens outside normal clinic hours.
Questions this page cannot answer for one child
This page cannot calculate an individual requirement, diagnose deficiency or excess, or design a therapeutic diet. Growth history, feeding skill, illness, absorption, access and the child’s developmental stage change the interpretation.
Ask the healthcare professional how the child’s age and medical history change the interpretation, what alternative explanations remain possible, and whether observation, testing, referral or treatment is appropriate. When no test is needed, ask what expected improvement should look like and how long it is reasonable to wait.
Document who provided the advice, the planned review time and any agreed precautions so that another caregiver or service can understand what has already been assessed.
If the family faces language, transport, cost or access barriers, mention them directly. A safe plan must be practical enough to follow, and the service may be able to adjust timing, written instructions or referral arrangements.
Keep the original source link and review date with the notes so later readers can distinguish the published evidence from the individualized clinical plan.
Limits and source boundaries
Read the publication date and scope of the source. A global fact sheet may describe burden and prevention without providing a local treatment pathway; a surveillance or screening page may describe population practice without estimating one child’s risk.
Recommendations, schedules and available services differ by country and can change. Use the official source for its stated evidence and a qualified professional for decisions about the individual child.