Effectiveness Of Community-Based Nutrition Education Interventions On Linear Growth In Children Under Two Years: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Control Trials
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31004/joecy.v6i1.8906Keywords:
Community nutrition education, Children under two, Linear growth, Stunting preventionAbstract
Stunting in children under two years of age is a serious nutritional problem that impacts health, cognitive development, and long-term productivity. Community-based nutrition education is widely implemented to improve child feeding practices, but its effectiveness on linear growth is still inconsistent.
A literature search was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane for publications from 2020–2025, following PRISMA guidelines. Of the 160 articles identified, three cluster-RCT studies from Indonesia, Tanzania, and Kenya met the inclusion criteria. Interventions include nutritional classes, cooking demonstrations, counseling, and home visits. All studies reported length-for-age Z-scores (LAZ/HAZ) as an outcome.
The results of the meta-analysis using a random effects model showed that community-based nutrition education did not provide a significant improvement in linear growth (Mean Difference 0.04; 95% CI –0.22 to 0.30; p = 0.75). Heterogeneity between studies was quite high (I² = 80%), influenced by variations in intervention intensity, duration, and population characteristics.
In conclusion, community-based nutrition education has not been proven to have a significant impact on linear growth when implemented as a single intervention. However, this intervention remains important as a supporting component in a multi-component strategy for preventing stunting.
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