37% of babies under 5 months are exclusively breastfed, Albania has made no progress in this regard

2025-09-12 13:12:00, Sociale CNA

37% of babies under 5 months are exclusively breastfed, Albania has made no

Only 37% of infants in Albania are exclusively breastfed in the first 5 months of life for the period 2017-2024, according to data from the 2025 report "Nutrition for Profit. How Food Environments Are Failing Children" published by UNICEF.

The latest global data on child nutrition show that Albania has made no progress towards the 2030 targets for breastfeeding. Even for the period 2005-2012, the breastfeeding rate for infants under 5 months was 37%.

Meanwhile, Albania is far from the global average and the average for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. On a global scale, the global average for exclusive breastfeeding for infants up to 5 months is 48% and 35% is the average level in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

In the Balkan countries, the level of breastfeeding also remains low, but Albania is positioned among the first countries with the highest level.

In North Macedonia, for the years 2017-2024, 28% of infants are breastfed. In Serbia, the level reaches 24% and in Montenegro 20%.

In the global ranking, the countries with the highest levels of breastfeeding are underdeveloped countries, but according to the report's data, they are on track to achieve the breastfeeding goals by 2030.

While in developing countries, the percentage of breastfeeding continues to remain at low levels. In the US for the period 2017-2024, the breastfeeding rate for 5-month-old infants was 26%, at the same levels as the previous period 2005-2012.

In the Balkan countries, breastfeeding rates also remain low.

In North Macedonia, for the years 2017-2024, 28% of babies are breastfed. In Serbia, the level reaches 24% and in Montenegro 20%.

Also, further analyzing the data on breastfeeding of children in the age group from 12 to 23 months, it results that in Albania only 43% of them continue to breastfeed, less than the global average which is 63% and that for Eastern Europe and Central Asia which is 53%.

The report also provides data on the food consumption of children from 6 months to 23 months. According to data in Albania, 27% of children in this age group receive a minimally acceptable diet.

The positive fact is that 89% of babies start eating solid foods at the right time and 69% consume meat or eggs, but dietary diversity remains a challenge./ Monitor