Relationship between Animal Sourced Food Consumption and Early Childhood Development Outcomes

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 15; no. 2; p. 315
• Main Authors: Pokharel, Ashish, Webb, Patrick, Miller, Laurie C, Zaharia, Sonia, Shrestha, Robin, Davis, Dale, Trevino, Johanna Andrews, Baral, Kedar Prasad, Paudel, Krishna, Ghosh, Shibani
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 09.01.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Age; Animal cognition; animal sourced food; Animals; Brain research; Child; Child Development; Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Child, Preschool; Children; Children & youth; Cognitive ability; Cognitive development; Cohort Studies; Cold storage; Data collection; Diet; early childhood development; Female; Food consumption; Food sources; Humans; Income; Least squares method; Microcephaly; Micronutrients; Nepal; Nutrition; Nutrition research; Pediatrics; physical growth; Poverty; Protein sources; Questionnaires; Regression analysis; Womens health; Nepal; physical growth; diet; animal sourced food; early childhood development; Nepal
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu15020315

Early-childhood development (ECD) is an important determinant of a child’s cognitive ability, learning, productivity, and lifetime earnings. Animal-sourced food (ASF), which is a rich source of high-quality protein and micronutrients, has been linked with ECD outcomes. This study investigates the relationship between the number, frequency, and cumulative consumption of ASF at 6, 9, 12, and 18 months of age and ECD outcomes at 24 months of age, controlling for physical growth. The study uses data collected from 701 mother−child pairs from an observational birth cohort study carried out in Banke, Nepal. ECD outcomes were assessed through a standardized ages and stages questionnaire (ASQ-3) tool. Separate multivariable ordinary least squares regression models were used to test for associations. Significant positive association was seen between total ASQ-3 score at 24 months of age and any ASF consumption at 18 months (β = 8.98, p-value < 0.01), controlling for growth outcomes. The study findings highlight the positive contribution and the accumulating benefit of consistent ASF consumption on ECD outcomes. This study recommends support and promotion of ASF intake among young children in Nepal through policy and programming actions relevant to female education; nutrition knowledge; quality ASF production; improved market access; cold storage; and poverty reduction.