Increased availability and consumption of eggs and meat can lead to better growth of young children in families dependent on agriculture.
The study found that vaccinations for the most common cause of mortality in village chickens resulted in an increase in household flock size and an increase in the amount of food for young children. The change in diet led to an increase in the growth of children in homes where chickens were not vaccine free.
Poor nutrition is a common cause of impaired growth and child development in low income countries.
"We wanted to look for ways to improve growth in children given the resources they already had, and we noticed families who fed their children high-protein foods had better outcomes in terms of preventing stunted growth in children, and we wanted to look for ways to improve growth given the resources they already
The study describes the results of a randomized clinical trial that included more than 500 households that owned chickens and assessed the diet and growth parameters of over 700 children The researchers compared the diet, heights and weights of children from households that used the vaccine and the household that only used the parasites.
The key metric for assessing childhood stunting is height, and the study showed that children in homes where the vaccine was used increased their height by 22%. The height and weight of children who were vaccine free increased compared to those who were not.
The study shows that a low-cost intervention on a commonly held animal resource can translate to improved childhood growth. Chicken flock management and child diet decisions are under the control of women in many rural settings, which provides a pathway to improve nutrition and growth. The study was coordinated by Palmer and another professor.
Otiang said the research is important because the vaccine is affordable and widely available. It is possible to improve the health of children and animals with existing resources without major lifestyle changes.
It gives a unique link to the health of humans and animals. It's been an interesting journey working with animals and linking it to human health, and this study will provide information so we can improve in those areas.
The study was carried out by the Paul G. Allen School for Global Health in collaboration with researchers at the Centre for Global Health Research and the University of Nairobi.
More information: Elkanah Otiang et al, Vaccination of household chickens results in a shift in young children's diet and improves child growth in rural Kenya, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2022). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2122389119 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
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