Unraveling the effect of targeted input subsidies on dietary diversity in household consumption and child nutrition: The case of Malawi

2018 ◽  
Vol 106 ◽  
pp. 124-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aurélie P. Harou
Keyword(s):  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Household Consumption

scholarly journals Cash transfers and child nutritional outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (12) ◽  
pp. e003621
Author(s):  
James Manley ◽  
Yarlini Balarajan ◽  
Shahira Malm ◽  
Luke Harman ◽  
Jessica Owens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Animal Source Foods ◽  
Animal Source ◽  
Z Scores ◽  
Households With Children ◽  
The Impact

BackgroundCash transfer (CT) programmes are implemented widely to alleviate poverty and provide safety nets to vulnerable households with children. However, evidence on the effects of CTs on child health and nutrition outcomes has been mixed. We systematically reviewed evidence of the impact of CTs on child nutritional status and selected proximate determinants.MethodsWe searched articles published between January 1997 and September 2018 using Agris, Econlit, Eldis, IBSS, IDEAS, IFPRI, Google Scholar, PubMed and World Bank databases. We included studies using quantitative impact evaluation methods of CTs with sample sizes over 300, targeted to households with children under 5 years old conducted in countries with gross domestic product per capita below US$10 000 at baseline. We conducted meta-analysis using random-effects models to assess the impact of CT programmes on selected child nutrition outcomes and meta-regression analysis to examine the association of programme characteristics with effect sizes.ResultsOut of 2862 articles identified, 74 articles were eligible for inclusion. We find that CTs have significant effects of 0.03±0.03 on height-for-age z-scores (p<0.03) and a decrease of 2.1% in stunting (95% CI −3.5% to −0.7%); consumption of animal-source foods (4.5%, 95% CI 2.9% to 6.0%); dietary diversity (0.73, 95% CI 0.28 to 1.19) and diarrhoea incidence (−2.7%, 95% CI −5.4% to −0.0%; p<0.05). The effects of CTs on weight-for-age z-scores and wasting were not significant (0.02, 95% CI −0.03 to 0.08; p<0.42) and (1.2%, 95% CI: −0.1% to 2.5%; p<0.07), respectively. We found that specific programme characteristics differentially modified the effect on the nutrition outcomes studied.ConclusionWe found that CT programmes targeted to households with young children improved linear growth and contributed to reduced stunting. We found that the likely pathways were through increased dietary diversity, including through the increased consumption of animal-source foods and reduced incidence of diarrhoea. With heightened interest in nutrition-responsive social protection programmes to improve child nutrition, we make recommendations to inform the design and implementation of future programmes.

Household Water Insecurity Affects Child Nutrition Through Alternative Pathways to WASH: Evidence From India

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 170-187
Author(s):  
Neetu Choudhary ◽  
Roseanne C. Schuster ◽  
Alexandra Brewis ◽  
Amber Wutich
Keyword(s):  
Water Availability ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Diarrheal Disease ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Water Access ◽  
Child Stunting ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Household Water ◽  
Regional Water

Background: Household water security matters greatly for child nutrition outcomes in the global South. Water’s role in sanitation/hygiene, via diarrheal disease, is cited as a primary mechanism here. Yet, the relationship between Water along with Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and child stunting remains inconclusive. Water-related mechanisms outside of the traditional scope of WASH might assist with explaining this. Objective: We aim to test the mediating role of reduced dietary diversity as an additional potential mechanism in linking worse household water access to increased risk of early childhood stunting, separating its effects from sanitation and diarrhea among children (as a proxy for hygiene) and taking into account regional water availability. Method: We use nationally representative India Demographic and Health Survey (2015-16) data for 58 038 children aged 6 to 23 months, applying generalized structural equation modelling to estimate water’s direct and indirect effects (as mediated through dietary diversity and access to sanitation) on a child’s likelihood of being stunted. Results: Suboptimal water access is significantly associated with elevated likelihood of child stunting. More than 30% of the effect is indirect. In the context of low water access and availability, children’s dietary diversity alone mediates more than 20% of its total effect on child stunting. Conclusion: Beyond the WASH mechanisms, household water access affects child stunting indirectly, mediated through its impacts on children’s dietary diversity. These mediating effects are also moderated by regional water availability. Water interventions in low-water regions should help reduce children’s risk of nutrition-related stunting in households with lowest water access.

scholarly journals Socioeconomic and Geographic Pattern of Food Consumption and Dietary Diversity among Children Aged 6–23 Months Old in Ghana

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 603
Author(s):  
Isaac Anane ◽  
Fengying Nie ◽  
Jiaqi Huang
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Final Analysis ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Dairy Consumption

Dietary inadequacy is a major challenge among young children in Ghana. Nutritional policies are required for optimum child nutrition and development. This study explored food consumption and dietary diversity by socioeconomic status and geographical location among children aged 6–23 months in Ghana. We used the latest national representative, cross-sectional data from the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS-2014). A total of 887 children aged 6–23 months were used in the final analysis. The survey collected data on children’s food consumption through their mothers in the 24 h recall method. Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between socioeconomic status and geographical location with food consumption and adequate dietary diversity after adjusting for control variables. The study revealed an association between specific food item consumption, food groups, and dietary diversity by socioeconomic and geographic characteristics. However, dairy consumption increased faster than other nutritional foods when socioeconomic status increased. Furthermore, the study revealed that children’s chances of consuming particular food items and food groups differed across Ghana’s 10 regions. The average probabilities of consuming adequate dietary diversity between the Greater Accra region and Ashanti region were 43% vs. 8% (p < 0.001). Consumption of grains, root, and tubers were relatively higher but low for Vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables and legumes and nuts for children aged 6–23 months in Ghana. Overall, the mean dietary diversity score was low (3.39; 95% CI: 3.30–3.49) out of eight food groups, and the prevalence of adequate dietary diversity was 22% only. There is a need for policy interventions to ensure appropriate dietary practices to promote healthy growth of children.

scholarly journals A six-week healthy eating intervention with family engagement improves food knowledge and preferences but not dietary diversity among urban preschool children in Sri Lanka

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Fathima Sirasa ◽  
Lana Mitchell ◽  
Aslan Azhar ◽  
Anoma Chandrasekara ◽  
Neil Harris
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Family Engagement ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Food Knowledge ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention (MCI) on children’s dietary diversity and its impact pathway components of children’s food knowledge and healthy food preferences. Design: A six-week cluster randomised controlled trial with a MCI consisting of child nutrition education plus family engagement, through parental nutrition education, meal preparation and tasting was compared with two groups: single component intervention (SCI) of child nutrition education, and control, conducted during February to July 2018. Preschool centres were randomly assigned to one of the three arms. Children’s food knowledge, healthy food preferences and dietary diversity scores were collected. Intervention effects were analysed using a pre-post analysis and a difference-in-difference model. Setting: Fourteen preschool centres in an urban area of Kurunegala, Sri Lanka Participants: Child-parent dyads of children aged 4-6 years. Final analyses included 306 (for food knowledge and preferences) and 258 (for dietary diversity) dyads. Results: MCI significantly influenced the impact pathways to children’s dietary diversity by increasing children’s food knowledge and healthy food preferences scores by 3.76 and 2.79 (P<0.001) respectively, but not the dietary diversity score (P=0.603), compared to control arm. Relative to SCI, MCI significantly improved children’s food knowledge score by 1.10 (P<0.001), but no significant effects were noted for other outcome variables. Conclusion: Improved food knowledge and preferences require a positive food environment and time to develop into healthy eating behaviours. Research into dietary diversity should broaden to incorporate the contextual roles of the home and general food environments to more completely understand food choices of children.

scholarly journals Irrigation, drinking water quality, and child nutritional status in northern Ethiopia

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 425-434
Author(s):  
Muhammed A. Usman ◽  
Nicolas Gerber
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Drinking Water Quality ◽  
Irrigated Agriculture ◽  
Northern Ethiopia ◽  
Z Scores ◽  
Child Nutritional Status

Abstract In this paper, we investigate the relationship between household drinking water quality and irrigation and child nutrition using primary household survey data and microbiological water sample testings in two rural districts of Ethiopia. Anthropometric measures such as height-for-age z-scores (HAZ), weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ), and weight-for-height z-scores (WHZ) were used to measure stunting, underweight, and wasting, respectively. Our survey results show that 41% of the children are stunted, 26% underweight, and 8% wasted. More than 58% of household's stored drinking water samples were also contaminated with Escherichia coli bacteria. The multivariate regression results suggest that irrigation farming and on-premises water sources are significantly associated with lower HAZ, while uncontaminated household stored drinking water quality is correlated with higher WAZ. The results also reveal that dietary diversity score and the number of antenatal care visits by the primary caretaker are statistically significant predictors of child nutritional status. These findings, however, cast doubt on the hypothesis that irrigated agriculture exclusively has a positive effect on child nutrition outcomes.

scholarly journals Knowledge, Food Vouchers, and Child Nutrition: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Ethiopia (P11-116-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seollee Park ◽  
Yae Eun Han ◽  
Hyuncheol Kim
Keyword(s):  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
Child Growth ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Maternal Knowledge ◽  
Child Feeding ◽  
Young Child Feeding ◽  
Change Communication ◽  
Randomized Design

Abstract Objectives Young children in developing countries often maintain poor diets, evidenced by strikingly low dietary diversity. Through formative research, we identified the lack of knowledge and affordability as key barriers to improved infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in Ethiopia. The aim of this study is to investigate ways to promote healthy IYCF by analyzing the impacts of an IYCF behavior change communication (BCC) program and food vouchers on mother's IYCF knowledge and practices, and child growth. Methods Using a clustered randomized design, we compare the effects of two independent interventions—IYCF BCC program and food vouchers—on four study groups: BCC only (BCC), voucher only (Voucher), BCC and voucher (BCC + Voucher), and the control group. The BCC program offered weekly group IYCF sessions to mothers who has children between 4 to 20 months of age for 16 weeks, employing participatory learning methods. The voucher program provided food vouchers worth approximately 10 USD per month for four months, which could be used at nearby markets for purchasing a wide variety of food items. We identified 641 eligible households residing in 79 villages in Ejere through census. As shown in Figure 1, 79 villages were randomly assigned to one of the four study groups: BCC, Voucher, BCC + Voucher, and control. All eligible mothers living in treatment villages were invited to participate in the program to which the village she lives in was assigned. Results We show that BCC improves maternal knowledge of nutrition and IYCF behaviors, while food vouchers alone do not (Figure 2). Impacts are largest when both knowledge and income constraints are addressed simultaneously through BCC + Voucher (Table 1). Only in this group do we see these treatments reducing stunting by 9 percentage points (Figure 3). Moreover, we show that BCC + Voucher prevented stunting from occurring during this critical age range rather than reversing it (Figure 4). Conclusions Our results suggest that, when both knowledge and income are intertwined challenges for improved child-feeding practices, addressing both constraints simultaneously may augment the positive impacts due to their complementary relationship. Funding Sources Africa Future Foundation. Supporting Tables, Images and/or Graphs

Association between Household Livestock Ownership and Childhood Stunting in Bangladesh – A Spatial Analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 248-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Belal Hossain ◽  
Jahidur Rahman Khan
Keyword(s):  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Credible Interval ◽  
Nutrition Status ◽  
Spatial Effects ◽  
Posterior Odds ◽  
Small Effect Size ◽  
Livestock Ownership ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Childhood Stunting

Abstract Livestock is an integrated part of agriculture, yet the relationship between household livestock ownership and child nutrition is a significant knowledge gap. The present study aimed to assess the association between household livestock ownership and childhood stunting and to explore the geospatial variations at district level in Bangladesh. A complete data of 19 295 children aged below 5 years were extracted from the latest Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2012–13. The tropical livestock unit (TLU) score calculated as a weighted value for each livestock and categorized as low, medium, and high using tertile. A hierarchical Bayesian spatial logistic model was used to assess the association between TLU and childhood stunting. Children from the household with high TLU were 10% less likely to be stunted (adjusted posterior odds ratio: 0.90, 95% credible interval: 0.84–0.97) after controlling for demographic, socioeconomic, morbidity, place of residence and spatial effects. There was also a substantial spatial variation in childhood stunting across districts in Bangladesh with the highest burden in the Northern and North-Eastern regions. The positive effect of household livestock ownership on reducing child stunting suggests that, in addition to nutritional intervention in Bangladesh, efforts to strengthen livestock production would be beneficial for improving child nutrition status. However, a small effect size may be owing to the lack of dietary diversity, livestock health and productivity data as well as the complexity of the relationship, requiring further study. Furthermore, a significant regional disparity in stunting highlighted the importance of spatial targeting during the design of interventions and implementation.

scholarly journals Influence of agriculture on child nutrition through child feeding practices in India: A district-level analysis

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. e0261237
Author(s):  
Deepshikha Dey ◽  
Arup Jana ◽  
Manas Ranjan Pradhan
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Feeding Practices ◽  
District Level ◽  
Primary Concern ◽  
Indian Children ◽  
Child Feeding ◽  
Child Feeding Practices

Malnutrition continues to be a primary concern for researchers and policymakers in India. There is limited scientific research on the effect of agriculture on child nutrition in the country using a large representative sample. To the best of our knowledge, no study has examined the spatial clustering of child malnutrition and its linkage with agricultural production at the district-level in the country. The present study aims to examine agricultural production’s role in improving the nutritional status of Indian children through child feeding practices. The nutritional indicators of children from the National Family Health Survey-4 (2015–16) and the agricultural production data for all the 640 districts of India obtained from the District-Wise Crop Production Statistics (2015–16), published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India were used for the analysis. The statistical analysis was undertaken in STATA (version 14.1). ArcMap (version 10.3), and GeoDa (version 1.8) were used for the spatial analysis. The study found a higher prevalence of malnutrition among children who had not received Minimum Meal Frequency (MMF), Minimum Dietary Diversity (MDD), and Minimum Acceptable Diet (MAD). Further, child feeding practices- MMF, MDD, and MAD- were positively associated with high yield rates of spices and cereals. The yield rate of cash crops, on the contrary, harmed child feeding practices. Production of pulses had a significant positive effect on MDD and MAD. Districts with high cereal yield rates ensured that children receive MMF and MAD. There is a significant spatial association between child feeding practices and malnutrition across Indian districts. The study suggests that adopting nutrient-sensitive agriculture may be the best approach to improving children’s nutritional status.

Stunting, dietary diversity and household food insecurity among children under 5 years in ethnic communities of northern Thailand

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 772-780 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna L Roesler ◽  
Lisa G Smithers ◽  
Prasit Wangpakapattanawong ◽  
Vivienne Moore
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Ethnic Communities ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Northern Thailand ◽  
Households With Children ◽  
Minimum Dietary Diversity ◽  
Children Under 5

ABSTRACT Background The aim of this study was to describe stunting in infants and young children in the ethnic communities of northern Thailand and to explore associations with dietary diversity and household factors including food security. Methods A cross-sectional survey of households with children under 5 years from eight villages. Adult respondents provided information on foods consumed by each child and details of the household. Heights and weights of children were measured. Results Adults from 172 households and 208 children participated. Overall, 38% of children were stunted. Exclusive breastfeeding was rare, but the proportion consuming breastmilk at 24 months (75%) was high. Few children (7%) aged 6–11 months met minimum dietary diversity. Stunted children were less likely than non-stunted children to meet minimum dietary diversity (63 versus 82%). Widespread food insecurity did not discriminate between stunted and non-stunted children. Stunting was elevated when households had little land and few animals. Conclusions Stunting was widespread in children under 5 years of age, in part reflecting poor dietary diversity, especially at age 6–11 months. Stunting was worst in households with least assets. Small increases in land or animals, or equivalent resources, appear to be required to improve child nutrition in extremely poor families.

scholarly journals An Innovative Grandmother-Inclusive Approach for Addressing Suboptimal Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices in Sierra Leone

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bridget A Aidam ◽  
Carolyn A MacDonald ◽  
Rebecca Wee ◽  
Joseph Simba ◽  
Judi Aubel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Child ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Child Feeding ◽  
Young Child Feeding ◽  
Infant And Young Child ◽  
Inclusive Approach

ABSTRACT Background Suboptimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices contribute to child undernutrition. Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey data show that IYCF practices remain poor despite modest improvements. Recent studies have identified the role of grandmothers as critical to child nutrition; however, in Sierra Leone to date, the potential for grandmothers to influence IYCF practices has not been investigated. Objectives We examined how an innovative grandmother-inclusive approach (GMIA) can be used to address suboptimal IYCF practices. Methods Using a quasi-experimental design, we compared IYCF beliefs and practices between GMIA intervention communities (receiving monthly dialogue sessions on nutrition, quarterly community praise sessions, and intergenerational forums) and comparison communities (receiving standard nutrition education) in Bum chiefdom from 2013 and 2016. The quantitative endline survey targeted 101 pregnant women, 291 women with children aged &lt;2 y, and 219 grandmothers. Statistical analyses utilized t tests and χ2 tests to examine differences between intervention and comparison communities at endline. Multivariate regression was used to determine the intervention's effect on IYCF outcomes of interest. Results Awareness of and participation in the GMIA was high among mothers and grandmothers in intervention communities. The percentage of infants and young children aged 0–23 mo (n = 291) exclusively breastfed during the first week of life was significantly higher in the intervention group (90.2% compared with 79.4%, P = 0.01). Among infants aged 6–23 mo (n = 219), the percentage achieving minimum dietary diversity and minimum acceptable diet was significantly higher in the intervention group (77.2% compared with 51.8%, P &lt; 0.001; and 53.8% compared with 22.6%, P &lt; 0.001, respectively). Differences in percentages achieving minimum meal frequency (MMF) were only significant for infants aged 9–23 mo, with the intervention group achieving a higher MMF (54.6% compared with 36.9%, P = 0.02). Conclusions Results suggest that a GMIA that recognizes grandmothers’ roles and strengthens their knowledge can contribute to improved IYCF practices.

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