Researchers advocate animal-based nutrition for African children citing insufficient plant alternatives

Increasing animal-sourced food consumption reduces the likelihood of stunting and improves children’s growth, according to data from five African countries. Egg consumption had the largest effect, followed by dairy and fish. The researchers stress that calls to reduce animal-based product consumption to improve sustainability are “not fully applicable to Africa, where average consumption is low.”

The researchers analyzed representative data from over 32,000 observations of children up to five years old in Ethiopia, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda. 

Although fruits, vegetables and pulses positively impact growth and development, nutritional benefits for diets with animal-based foods are more significant than purely plant-based ones.

“Especially in rural areas, a sufficient amount of nutritious plant-based food is often unavailable throughout the year,” says co-author Dr. Makaiko Khonje from the CABI Regional Center for Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. 

“Our results indicate that access to animal-sourced foods should be improved, especially for poorer families, to combat malnutrition.”

The case for animal products

Consuming meat, dairy, eggs and fish can reduce the risks of developmental and growth disorders or stunting. However, Khonje says that “no reliable scientific evidence of these effects had been produced up to now in Africa.” 

The study finds that increases in animal product consumption increased child “height-for-age” scores by 0.30 and reduced the likelihood of stunting by 6.8 percentage points. The researchers controlled for household wealth, demographic and institutional characteristics, and other potentially confounding factors in these results.

In their study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the authors urge the promotion of productivity and efficiency in livestock production, marketing and processing to improve access to animal products. 

They detail that livestock productivity in Africa is limited, with high losses along the value chain due to infrastructure and technology constraints. 

In addition, they call to promote the production, marketing and preservation of nutritious plant-based foods to “increase households’ access to diverse and healthy diets with less seasonal variation.” 

In Amhara, Ethiopia, only one in ten children consumed at least one type of animal product, despite the region’s large livestock populations.Addressing sustainability concerns

Reducing livestock farming is a common approach to improving sustainability as the practice results in significantly more greenhouse gas emissions than cultivating cereals, fruit or vegetables. 

“It will only be possible to achieve our climate targets if we significantly reduce the consumption of animal products worldwide,” says co-author Matin Qaim from the Center for Development Research at the University of Bonn, Germany. 

However, he cautions that limiting animal-based food consumption on the African continent would “further exacerbate the issue of malnutrition in children in poorer populations.” 

“People in Europe and North America consume four times more milk and meat on average than people in Africa. Therefore, it is certainly sensible in high-income countries to limit the consumption of animal-sourced food,” says Qaim. 

Although plant-based alternatives are becoming increasingly nutritious, with various surpassing traditional animal versions, access to these products is limited in many African countries. In addition, amid children’s growing adoption of plant-based diets, researchers recently highlighted the need for education on the potential health benefits and risks of such diets for growing children. 

Expanding access in Ethiopia

A different study examining the Amhara region in Ethiopia found that only one in ten children consume at least one type of animal product. The study noted very limited access to beef, organ meat and seafood. Dairy products and eggs were the most consumed animal-based foods.

Despite the large livestock populations available in the region, the researchers note that consumption is low among children under five due to unaffordability and poor awareness among caregivers.

The authors recommend interventions targeting Ethiopian caregivers to improve the consumption of animal products among children. They note that many caregivers need to be made aware of the nutritional benefits of these foods, choosing to sell animal products instead of feeding them to their children. 

The study’s lead author, Dr. Taddese Zerfu from the University of Edinburgh’s Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems, adds: “Through targeted social interventions that educate caregivers about the nutritional benefits of animal-sourced foods, we can significantly improve children’s dietary diversity.”

Additional factors also limit animal product consumption in Amhara, such as religious misconceptions, limited availability during certain seasons, low productivity, insufficient support from health professionals and caregiver time constraints.