Sustained intake of animal-sourced foods is associated with less stunting in young children

Abstract

In resource constrained countries, animal-sourced foods (ASFs) are an important nutrient-dense source of vitamins, minerals and macronutrients. While several studies have suggested the value of ASFs to child growth, most empirical evidence is based on cross-sectional data which can only provide information about the contemporaneous relationship between diet and anthropometric outcomes. This study uses longitudinal panel data for Nepal, Bangladesh, and Uganda to assess the association between contemporaneous as well as past ASF consumption and linear growth of children aged 6-24 months. Fixed effects models found that ASF consumption was significantly correlated with lower stunting, with a decline in stunting prevalence as high as 10% in Nepali children who had consumed any ASF in the previous year.Consuming two or more ASFs showed an even higher magnitude of association, ranging from a 10% decline in prevalence of stunting associated with lagged consumption in Bangladesh to a 16% decline in Nepal.

Global, regional, and national consumption of animal-source foods between 1990 and 2018: findings from the Global Dietary Database

“… 10 These characteristics make ASF useful for improving nutrition in vulnerable populations such as infants, young children, adolescents, women of reproductive age, pregnant and lactating women, and older adults, as well as very poor communities in low-income and middle-income countries. 6 , 11 , 12 , 13 Different ASF might also have important adverse (eg, processed meats) or beneficial (eg, seafood and yoghurt) effects on NCDs, in particular cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. 14 , 15 Impacts on planetary health are just as important, including increased greenhouse gas emissions, land and energy use, and acidification and eutrophication, and also vary according to the type of ASF, 16 , 17 , 18 production method, and the suitability of the specific ASF to the local ecosystem in which it is produced.…”

Small Area Variations in Dietary Diversity Among Children in India: A Multilevel Analysis of 6–23-Month-Old Children

“…For example, the districts with the highest percentage of children not breastfeeding were clustered in the south (Karnataka and Tamil Nadu), while the districts with the highest percentage of children of not eating other fruits and vegetables were clustered in the west and north (Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar). Furthermore, the percentage of children not eating flesh foods, eggs, and dairy were high across all 640 districts, each of which are food groups associated with improved child growth outcomes (28,(43)(44)(45)(46)(47).…”

Food system development pathways for healthy, nature-positive and inclusive food systems

“…Small scale livestock production is a key source of income and much needed nutrition in many parts of the world where hunger and malnutrition persist 24 . Vulnerable populations in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) could also benefit from increased consumption of animal-source foods to improve their nutrition and health 25, since animal-source foods, including red meat, are dense sources of key micronutrients, that are often lacking in the diets of the most vulnerable in LMICs.…”