Minimum Acceptable Diet (MAD)

Information

Full name

Children 6-23 months with a MInimum Acceptable Diet (MAD)

Short name

Code

MAD

Definition

Percentage of children 6–23 months of age who consumed a minimum acceptable diet during the previous day.

Minimum acceptable diet is defined as:

Breastfed children: receiving at least the minimum dietary diversity and minimum meal frequency for their age during the previous day
Non-breastfed children: receiving at least the minimum dietary diversity and minimum meal frequency for their age during the previous day as well as at least two milk feeds

Rationale

WHO guiding principles on feeding the breastfed child and the non-breastfed child recommend that children aged 6–23 months be fed meals at an appropriate frequency and in a sufficient variety to ensure, respectively, that energy and nutrient needs are met. This indicator combines information on minimum dietary diversity and minimum meal frequency, with the extra requirement that non-breastfed children should have received milk at least twice on the previous day.

Method of computation

Numerator: children 6–23 months of age who consumed a minimum acceptable diet during the previous day.

Denominator: children 6–23 months of age.

Source: World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 2021. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240018389

Comparability

International definition and standards

Limitations

Due to the small age range required for this indicator, surveys may not have a large enough sample size to produce robust estimates.

Quality assurance

Quality assurance follows the practices of the survey from which the data is collected. For data collected through UNHCR's Standardized Expanded Nutrition Surveys (SENS), see quality assurance information on the SENS website (https://www.unhcr.org/sens/).

References

https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240018389

https://www.unhcr.org/sens/introduction/module-3-iycf/

https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/minimum-acceptable-diet-6-23-months

Data sources

Household surveys such as UNHCR Standardized Expanded Nutrition Survey (SENS), UNICEF's Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) and the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS)

Lebanon: Integrated Micronutrient Anthropometry and Child Development Survey (LIMA) - 2023-2024

Code

GOVT_LBN_2023_LIMA

Time period

2023

Coverage

Lebanon

Kind of data

Probability survey

Links

https://www.unicef.org/lebanon/media/13011/file/LIMA_Final%20Report_FINAL.pdf.pdf

Bangladesh: Standardized Expanded Nutrition Survey (SENS) - Rohingya Refugee Response Cox's Bazar - 2022

Code

UNHCR_BGD_2022_SENS

Time period

2022

Coverage

Bangladesh

Kind of data

Probability survey

Producers

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Links

https://www.unhcr.org/sens/data-dashboard/

Bangladesh: Standardized Expanded Nutrition Survey (SENS) - Bhasan Char Island & Cox's Bazar Refugee Camps - 2023

Code

UNHCR_BGD_2023_SENS

Time period

2023

Coverage

Bangladesh

Kind of data

Probability survey

Producers

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Links

https://www.unhcr.org/sens/data-dashboard/

Bangladesh: Standardized Expanded Nutrition Survey (SENS) - Rohingya Refugee Response Cox's Bazar - 2024

Code

UNHCR_BGD_2024_SENS

Time period

2024

Coverage

Bangladesh

Kind of data

Probability survey

Producers

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Links

https://microdata.unhcr.org/index.php/catalog/1341

https://www.unhcr.org/sens/data-dashboard/

https://microdata.unhcr.org/index.php/catalog/1354

Cameroon: Standardized Expanded Nutrition Survey (SENS) - 2022

Code

UNHCR_CMR_2022_SENS

Time period

2022

Coverage

Cameroon

Kind of data

Probability survey

Producers

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Rep. of the Congo: Standardized Expanded Nutrition Survey (SENS) - 2025

Code

UNHCR_COG_2025_SENS

Time period

2025

Coverage

Congo

Kind of data

Probability survey

Producers

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Algeria: Standardized Expanded Nutrition Survey (SENS) - 2025

Code

UNHCR_DZA_2025_SENS

Time period

2025

Coverage

Algeria

Kind of data

Probability survey

Producers

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Ethiopia: Standardized Expanded Nutrition Survey (SENS) - 2025

Code

UNHCR_ETH_2025_SENS

Time period

2025

Coverage

Ethiopia

Kind of data

Probability survey

Producers

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Niger: Standardized Expanded Nutrition Survey (SENS) - 2025

Code

UNHCR_NER_2025_SENS

Time period

2025

Coverage

Niger

Kind of data

Probability survey

Producers

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Rwanda: Standardized Expanded Nutrition Survey (SENS) in Kigeme, Kiziba, Mugombwa, Nyabiheke & Mahama refugee camps - 2023

Code

UNHCR_RWA_2023_SENS

Time period

2023

Coverage

Rwanda

Kind of data

Probability survey

Producers

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Links

https://www.unhcr.org/sens/data-dashboard/

Uganda: Standardized Expanded Nutrition Survey (SENS) - 2022

Code

UNHCR_UGA_2022_FSNA

Time period

2022

Coverage

Uganda

Kind of data

Probability survey

Producers

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Links

https://www.unhcr.org/sens/data-dashboard/

Uganda: Standardized Expanded Nutrition Survey (SENS) - 2023

Code

UNHCR_UGA_2023_FSNA

Time period

2023

Coverage

Uganda

Kind of data

Probability survey

Producers

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Links

https://www.unhcr.org/sens/data-dashboard/

Uganda: Standardized Expanded Nutrition Survey (SENS) - 2025

Code

UNHCR_UGA_2025_FSNA

Time period

2025

Coverage

Uganda

Kind of data

Probability survey

Producers

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees