Local food-based interventions for malnutrition in under 5 children ‒ A systematic literature review

malnutrition among children under five remains a major global public health concern, particularly in low -and middle- income countries. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of local food-based interventions in improving anthropometric outcomes, including body weight, height, and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), among under-five children with malnutrition.

a systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar for studies published between 2015 and 2025, following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental designs assessing local food-based nutritional interventions. Study selection was conducted independently by two reviewers. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2 for randomized trials and ROBINS-I for quasi-experimental studies.

a total of 11 studies were included. Local food-based interventions, particularly ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF) and lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS), were generally associated with improvements in body weight, MUAC, and growth indicators. However, the magnitude of effect varied across studies depending on intervention type, duration, and study design. Some studies reported comparable or non-significant differences between intervention and control groups.

local food-based interventions show potential in improving nutritional outcomes among under-five children, but the evidence remains heterogeneous. Further high-quality studies are needed to better establish their comparative effectiveness and long-term impact.