Key Messages

Attend antenatal care early,

eat a healthy diet before, during and after pregnancy, and take the recommended supplements provided by your healthcare provider to give every baby the healthiest start in life.

Protect, promote and support breastfeeding

by breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months, continuing breastfeeding up to two years and beyond, and introducing safe, nutritious and age-appropriate complementary foods from six months.

Support children to grow and thrive

by practising responsive feeding, nutritious meals and snacks, healthy lunchboxes, regular growth monitoring, and nutrition education from an early age.

Build supportive communities

that protect breastfeeding, encourage healthy eating, strengthen family and peer support.

Choose healthy and diverse meals throughout life

by eating plenty of vegetables, fruit, beans, legumes, whole grains and other minimally processed foods, while limiting foods high in salt, sugar and fats.

Create healthy food environments at home,

in early childhood development centres, schools, workplaces and communities where nutritious foods and safe drinking water are the easy choice.

Promote household and community food gardens and local food production.

Increase access to affordable, safe and nutritious foods

by supporting local farmers and informal traders to make healthier food choices more available, visible and accessible.

Choose water as the drink of choice and reduce sugary drinks,

highly processed foods, and foods high in salt, sugar and fats to improve health and prevent non-communicable diseases.

Health professionals, employers, educators, retailers and community leaders

all have a role in protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding, healthy eating, and good nutrition across the life course.

Governments, organisations and communities

must work together to strengthen policies, create healthy food environments, improve food security, and ensure everyone has access to affordable, safe and nutritious food.