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Relationship between Animal Sourced Food Consumption and Early Childhood Development Outcomes
Ashish Pokharel1,2, Patrick Webb2,3, Laurie C Miller2,3
1Helen Keller International, Lalitpur 44600, Nepal.
Nutrients
|January 21, 2023
Summary
Consistent consumption of animal-sourced foods (ASF) positively impacts early childhood development (ECD) outcomes. This study in Nepal found that ASF intake at 18 months was linked to better cognitive development at 24 months.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Public Health
Background:
- Early-childhood development (ECD) is crucial for lifelong outcomes.
- Animal-sourced foods (ASF) provide essential nutrients vital for child development.
- Understanding ASF's role in ECD is critical for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between animal-sourced food (ASF) consumption and early-childhood development (ECD) outcomes.
- To examine the impact of the number, frequency, and cumulative ASF intake on ECD.
- To control for physical growth in assessing the relationship between ASF and ECD.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 701 mother-child pairs in an observational birth cohort study in Banke, Nepal.
- Assessed ECD outcomes using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3) at 24 months.
- Employed multivariable ordinary least squares regression to analyze associations, controlling for physical growth.
Main Results:
- A significant positive association was observed between any ASF consumption at 18 months and total ASQ-3 scores at 24 months (β = 8.98, p < 0.01).
- Findings indicate an accumulating benefit of consistent ASF intake on ECD outcomes.
- Physical growth was controlled for in the analysis.
Conclusions:
- Consistent animal-sourced food consumption positively contributes to early-childhood development.
- Policy and programming should promote ASF intake through improved education, production, market access, and poverty reduction.
- Interventions in Nepal should focus on enhancing female education and nutrition knowledge to support ASF consumption.
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