Addressing child under nutrition: can traditional practices offer a solution?

Abstract

Child under nutrition continues to be a challenge to global development, especially in resource-poor contexts. In the multifaceted attempts to address this challenge, popular traditional practices, although closely linked to infant health, remain neglected and less researched. The World Health Organization’s recent strategy on traditional medicine systems provides overarching guidance in this regard. In this commentary, we attempt to exemplify this. We highlight the importance of traditional child care practices with regard to child nutrition and the need for trans-disciplinary research to explore the potential of these for public health. Infant oil massage appears to be a potentially beneficial practice for child nutrition. Rigorous trans-disciplinary research on traditional infant massage can provide simple solutions to address child under nutrition and nurture human capabilities globally.

Assessment of Quality and Safety of Winged Termites (Macrotermes bellicosus) Enriched Locally Formulated Complementary Foods

“…Although the causes of malnutrition are many and diverse, inadequate intake of foods and essential nutrients has been reported to be a major contributory factor to under-five malnutrition (Sarika et al, 2017;Kikafunda et al, 2003). Besides increased risk of mortality, under nutrition in early life has irreversible effects and serious health consequences such as impaired cognitive function which can result in national economic and productivity loss (Sarika et al, 2017). Studies have shown that at 6 months or less, only 17 percent of mothers in Nigeria are exclusively breastfeeding their infants, and by 6 and 9 months, 63 percent of Nigerian mothers have introduced complementary foods while continuing breastfeeding (NDHS, 2013).…”

Knowledge and practices of traditional management of child malnutrition and associated pathologies in Benin

“…In Ghana, there is also the possibility of using traditional healers to treat various spiritual and physical aspects of child malnutrition [ 37 ]. In India, this traditional approach to the management of child malnutrition is also practiced [ 38 ]. The dimension reported by Chaturvedi et al [ 38 ] focused on infant massage with oil, which appears to be a potentially beneficial practice for children's nutrition.…”

“…In India, this traditional approach to the management of child malnutrition is also practiced [ 38 ]. The dimension reported by Chaturvedi et al [ 38 ] focused on infant massage with oil, which appears to be a potentially beneficial practice for children's nutrition.…”