Nutrition Landscape Information System (NLiS)


Belize

NLiS Country Profile: Belize

Child Malnutrition

Child (<5 y) Anthropometry
Indicator Year Value
Low birth weight (<2500 g) (%) 2015 8.6
Overweight (BMI-for-age >+1 SD) in school-age children and adolescents 5-19 years (%) 2016 28.5

Malnutrition in Women

Female malnutrition based on BMI

Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies

Indicator Year Value
Anaemia children <5 y (Hb <110 g/L) (%) 2016 22.5
Anaemia in non-pregnant women (Hb <120 g/L) (%) 2016 21.7
Anaemia in pregnant women (Hb <110 g/L) (%) 2016 21.3
Anaemia in women of reproductive age (%) 2016 21.7
Clinical vitamin A deficiency in women (history of night blindness during most recent pregnancy) (%)   no data
Median urinary iodine concentration in children 6-12 years (μg/L) 1994-1995 184.0
Subclinical vitamin A deficiency in preschool-age children (serum/plasma retinol <0.70 μmol/L) (%)   no data

Health Services

Indicator Year Value
Births attended by skilled health personnel (%) 2013 94.2
Population using improved drinking-water sources (%) 2015 99.5
Population using improved sanitation facility (%) 2015 90.5
Children aged 1 year immunized against measles (%) 2016 95.0
Any antenatal iron supplementation (%)   no data
Children <5 years with diarrhoea receiving ORT (%) 2011 34.4
Children with diarrhoea receiving zinc (%) 2016 9.6
Children aged 6-59 months receiving vitamin A supplements (dose 1) (%)   no data
Children aged 6-59 months receiving vitamin A supplements (dose 2) (%)   no data
Births in baby-friendly facilities (%)   no data
Mothers of children 0-23 months receiving counselling, support or messages on optimal breastfeeding at least once in the last year (%)   no data

Food Security

Indicator Year Value
Households consuming adequately iodized salt (15 parts per million or more) (%) 2015 84.9
Population below the international poverty line (%)   no data

Caring Practices

Indicator Year Value
Early initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth (%) 2015 68.3
Introduction to solid, semi-solid or soft foods in infants 6-8 months (%) 2015 78.8
Minimum acceptable diet (MAD) in children 6-23 months (%)   no data
Children with diarrhoea <5 y receiving oral rehydration therapy (ORT) and continued feeding (%) 2016 45.2
No breastfeeding data available for this country

Commitment

Indicator Year Value
General government expenditure on health as % of total government expenditure 2014 13.8
Total expenditure on health as % of gross domestic product 2014 5.8
Per capita total expenditure on health (US$) 2014 488.7
Nutrition component of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF)   no data
Nutrition component of Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP)   no data
Nutrition Governance score   no data
Maternity leave 2013 14 weeks
International Code on Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes: Legal status of the Code 2018 No legal measures

Capacity

Indicator Year Value
Degree training in nutrition exists 2016-2017 Yes
Nutrition is part of medical curricula 2016-2017 Yes
Nutrition professionals density (per 100,000 population) 2016-2017 1.7
Nursing and midwifery personnel density per 1,000 population 2009 1.8
GDP per capita (PPP US$) 2018 8,787
GDP per capita annual growth rate (%)   no data
Official development assistance (ODA) received (net disbursements) (% of GNI) 2017 2.0
Low-Income Food-Deficit Country (LIFDC) 2018 No

Meta-indicators

Indicator Year Value
Averaged aggregate governance indicators 2018 -0.3
Gender Inequality Index (GII) 2017 0.386
Gender Parity Index in primary level enrolment (ratio of girls to boys) 2018 0.9
Human development index (HDI) value 2017 0.7
Seats held by women in national parliament (%) 2019 9.4

Female Education Levels

Female education levels: no data available for this country

Education

Education

Under 5 Mortality

Policies & Actions in the Global database on the Implementation of Nutrition Action (GINA)

Policy title Start Year
United Nations Development Assistance Framework Belize 2013-2016 2013
National Plan of Action for the Prevention and Control of non-Communicable Diseases 2013
Reduction of Chronic Malnutrition in Belize 2011
Belize National Standard Specification for Salt 2007
Labour (Amendment)Act, 2005, dated 29 November, 2005. No. 42 of 2005. Amends the Labour Act, chapter 297 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000-2003. 2005
Social Security Act (Chapter 44), dated 4 October 1979. As revised at 31 May 2003. 2003
Belize National Standard Specification for Wheat Flour 1998
Progamme title and actions Start Year
GNPR 2016-2017: Promotion of healthy diet and prevention of obesity and diet-related NCDs (q12a) Food-based dietary guidelines for Belize. - Food-based dietary guidelines 2012
GNPR 2016-2017: School health and nutrition (q11) Health and Family Life Education - Deworming 2007
GNPR 2016-2017: School health and nutrition (q11) Health and Family Life Education - Home, school or community gardening 2007
GNPR 2016-2017: School health and nutrition (q11) Health and Family Life Education - Micronutrient supplementation in schools 2007
GNPR 2016-2017: School health and nutrition (q11) Health and Family Life Education - Monitoring children's growth in schools 2007
GNPR 2016-2017: School health and nutrition (q11) Health and Family Life Education - Nutrition education included in school curriculum 2007
GNPR 2016-2017: School health and nutrition (q11) Health and Family Life Education - School feeding programmes 2007
GNPR 2016-2017: School health and nutrition (q11) Health and Family Life Education - School fruit and vegetable scheme 2007
GNPR 2016-2017: Infant and young child nutrition (q10) - Complementary feeding promotion and/or counselling  
GNPR 2016-2017: Infant and young child nutrition (q6) - Growth monitoring and promotion  
GNPR 2016-2017: Infant and young child nutrition (q7) - Breastfeeding promotion and/or counselling  
GNPR 2016-2017: Infant and young child nutrition (q8) - Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI)  
GNPR 2016-2017: Promotion of healthy diet and prevention of obesity and diet-related NCDs (q13) - Nutrient declaration  
GNPR 2016-2017: Promotion of healthy diet and prevention of obesity and diet-related NCDs (q13) - Front-of-pack labelling system  
GNPR 2016-2017: Promotion of healthy diet and prevention of obesity and diet-related NCDs (q18) - Implementation of legislation on marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children  
GNPR 2016-2017: Promotion of healthy diet and prevention of obesity and diet-related NCDs (q20) - Media promotion of healthy nutrition  
GNPR 2016-2017: Promotion of healthy diet and prevention of obesity and diet-related NCDs (q21) - Nutrition education and counselling  
GNPR 2016-2017: Prevention and management of acute malnutrition (q37) - Food distribution/supplementation for prevention of acute malnutrition  
GNPR 2016-2017: Prevention and management of acute malnutrition (q38) - Management of moderate malnutrition  
GNPR 2016-2017: Prevention and management of acute malnutrition (q39) - Management of severe acute malnutrition  
GNPR 2016-2017: Nutrition and infectious disease (q41) - Counselling on nutritional support & care for people living with TB