Current and potential role of specially formulated foods and food supplements for preventing malnutrition among 6-23 months old and treating moderate malnutrition among 6-59 months old children
Saskia de Pee and Martin W Bloem
Abstract
Reducing child malnutrition requires nutritious food, breastfeeding, improved hygiene, health services, and (prenatal) care. Poverty and food insecurity seriously constrain accessibility of nutritious diets, including high protein quality, adequate micronutrient content and bioavailability, macro-minerals and essential fatty acids, low anti-nutrient content, and high nutrient density. Largely plant-source-based diets with few animal source and fortified foods do not meet these requirements and need to be improved by processing (dehulling, germinating, fermenting), fortification, and adding animal source foods, e.g. milk, or other specific nutrients. Read more