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Author Spotlight: Studying the Impact of Maternal Dietary Deficiencies on Long-Term Offspring Health Outcomes
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Author Spotlight: Studying the Impact of Maternal Dietary Deficiencies on Long-Term Offspring Health Outcomes

Published on: June 28, 2024

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Influences of early child nutritional status and home learning environment on child development in Vietnam

Phuong H Nguyen1,2, Ann M DiGirolamo3, Ines Gonzalez-Casanova4

  • 1International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.

Maternal & Child Nutrition
|June 7, 2017
PubMed

Insights

A high-quality home learning environment (HOME) can significantly improve early child development, even in children experiencing stunting. Interventions supporting both child growth and stimulating home environments are crucial for optimal development.

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Global Health
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Suboptimal early childhood development is a significant global challenge impacting future health and success.
  • The home learning environment (HOME) and early childhood stunting are critical factors influencing development.
  • Understanding these influences is vital for designing effective early intervention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the impact of the home learning environment (HOME) quality and child stunting in the first year of life on child development at two years.
  • To assess the interplay between HOME quality and stunting in their effects on cognitive, language, and motor development.
  • To provide evidence for targeted interventions in Vietnam.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from a randomized controlled trial of preconceptional micronutrient supplementation in Vietnam (n=1,458).
  • Assessed child development using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-III at two years of age.
  • Employed multivariate generalized linear regression models to analyze the associations between HOME, stunting, and developmental outcomes.

Main Results:

  • A high-quality HOME was significantly associated with higher scores in cognitive, language, and motor development (0.10 to 0.13 SD).
  • Stunted children exhibited significantly lower scores in all developmental domains (-0.11 to -0.18) compared to non-stunted children.
  • The negative impact of stunting on development was significantly attenuated in children with high-quality HOME environments.

Conclusions:

  • Child stunting in the first year of life negatively affects child development at two years in Vietnam.
  • A high-quality home learning environment can mitigate the adverse effects of stunting on child development.
  • Early interventions should focus on improving child growth and establishing stimulating home environments for optimal development.

Keywords:
Vietnamchild developmenthome learning environment (HOME)stunting

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