Food-Based Strategies for Stunting: A Scoping Review of Functional Ready-to-Eat and Ready-to-Cook Foods

Stunting, a chronic form of malnutrition characterised by impaired linear growth, remains a significant global public health concern. While supplementation programmes have shown potential to improve growth outcomes, long-term implementation may be constrained by poor adherence, high costs and limited sustainability. Increasing reliance on ready-to-eat (RTE) and ready-to-cook (RTC) foods in low- and middle-income countries highlights the potential of nutrient-dense food-based approaches that align with existing dietary practices. This scoping review aimed to map and synthesise existing evidence on the development and evaluation of functional food products intended to support the prevention or management of stunting among children, with a focus on formulation strategies and nutritional characteristics. Using the Population-Concept-Context (PCC) framework, 22 studies were identified, encompassing various product categories, including complementary foods, bakery products and ready-to-use supplementary foods. Formulations primarily used cereal-based staples combined with protein- and lipid-rich ingredients, with selected products incorporating micronutrient fortification or bioactive ingredients. Differences in ingredient combinations, nutrient targets and processing approaches resulted in wide variation in nutrient composition, particularly in energy density, fat and selected micronutrients. Achieving the intended nutrient profile required careful ingredient selection and proportioning, along with appropriate processing. Evidence on the effects of these products on stunting outcomes remains limited. Overall, the findings highlight the need to consider ingredient composition, nutrient targets and processing together when developing nutrient-dense RTE and RTC food products for young children.