Child growth, parental knowledge and supplementation – Evidence from Zambia
Malnutrition remains a critical challenge affecting child development worldwide, particularly in resource limited settings. We conducted a randomized controlled trial in Zambia to investigate the effects of providing growth information and nutritional supplements on children’s physical and cognitive development. Caregivers of young children were randomly assigned to either receive a growth chart, food supplements or both. The primary outcomes measured were changes in children's height and weight over a 18 months period. We find no height impacts for growth charts but significant improvements in child growth and development with supplements. Despite the observed benefits and generally very positive caregiver feedback on the supplements, willingness to pay for supplements was limited, suggesting that a relatively high level of subsidization would be needed to sustain supplementation programs at scale.