In Belize, although comprehensive data on the nutritional status of children is not available, a number of recent studies have shown that there are significant levels of malnutrition and growth retardation among young children, pointing to inadequate feeding practices of infants aged 0 to 24 months. A weight for age study conducted in Toledo District in 1994 showed 57 percent malnutrition among rural children under five years old. The 1996 National Height Census of School Children aged six to nine years old demonstrated 15.4 per cent growth retardation among children nationwide. In order to address this problem andto improve the health and well being of children in Belize, this National Breastfeeding Policy has been developed