Addressing child under nutrition: can traditional practices offer a solution?

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Pediatrics
• Traditional Medicine

Background:

• Child undernutrition remains a significant global development challenge, particularly in resource-limited settings.
• Traditional childcare practices, vital for infant health, are under-researched.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) advocates for integrating traditional medicine systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the significance of traditional childcare practices for child nutrition.
• To emphasize the need for trans-disciplinary research into these practices.
• To explore the public health potential of traditional infant care.

Main Methods:

• Commentary and literature review.
• Analysis of traditional child care practices in relation to nutrition.
• Discussion of WHO's strategy on traditional medicine.

Main Results:

• Traditional infant oil massage is identified as a potentially beneficial practice for child nutrition.
• Neglected traditional practices hold potential for addressing global health issues.
• Trans-disciplinary research is crucial for validating and integrating these practices.

Conclusions:

• Traditional infant massage warrants rigorous investigation for its nutritional benefits.
• Simple, traditional solutions can be developed through trans-disciplinary research.
• Exploring traditional practices can contribute to nurturing human capabilities and combating child undernutrition globally.