A One Health Approach to Child Stunting: Evidence and Research Agenda

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• One Health
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Child stunting affects a quarter of children globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
• Current interventions for stunting have shown limited impact, necessitating novel strategies.
• The interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health is increasingly recognized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the rationale for adopting a One Health approach to address child stunting.
• To outline a research agenda for investigating One Health strategies in stunting reduction.
• To explore how a multisectoral approach can uncover new interventions for child stunting.

Main Methods:

• This study proposes a conceptual framework for a One Health approach.
• It involves reviewing existing literature on stunting and One Health principles.
• The research agenda focuses on identifying interdependent factors across sectors.

Main Results:

• A One Health approach can address interconnected factors contributing to child stunting.
• Coordinated interventions across human, animal, and environmental health sectors may yield synergistic effects.
• This strategy holds potential for novel stunting reduction methods.

Conclusions:

• A One Health framework offers a promising avenue for tackling child stunting.
• Integrating human, animal, and environmental health sectors can enhance stunting reduction efforts.
• Further research is warranted to develop and implement One Health interventions for child stunting.