Can Feeding a Millet-Based Diet Improve the Growth of Children?—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Undernutrition, such as stunting and underweight, is a major public health concern, which requires multi-sectoral attention. Diet plays a key role in growth and should optimally supply all required nutrients to support the growth. While millets (defined broadly to include sorghum) are traditional foods, and climate smart nutritious crops, which are grown across Africa and Asia, they have not been mainstreamed like rice, wheat, and maize. Diversifying staples with millets can potentially provide more macro and micro nutrients, compared to the mainstream crops. However, there is little known scientific evidence to prove millets’ efficacy on growth. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to collate evidence of the benefits of millets in improving the growth of children. Eight eligible randomized feeding trials were included in the meta-analysis. Results from the randomized effect model showed a significant effect (p < 0.05) of millet-based diets on mean height (+28.2%) (n = 8), weight (n = 9) (+26%), mid upper arm circumference (n = 5) (+39%) and chest circumference (n = 5) (+37%) in comparison to regular rice-based diets over for the period of 3 months to 4.5 years, which was based on largely substituting rice with millets. When an enhanced and diverse diet was served, replacing rice with millet had only minimal growth improvement on chest circumference (p < 0.05). The quality assessment using GRADE shows that the evidence used for this systematic review and meta-analysis had moderate quality, based on eight scoring criteria. These results demonstrate the value of adding millet as the staple for undernourished communities. Further understanding of the efficacy of millets on growth in a wider range of diets is important to develop appropriate dietary programs and improve the nutritional status of various age groups across Africa and Asia.

Analysis of Socioeconomic, Utilization of Maternal Health Services, and Toddler’s Characteristics as Stunting Risk Factors

“…Stunting can be manifested after chronic undernourishment with causes that are multifactorial. Stunting puts children at high risk of infection with delayed recovery as well as growth retardation [ 20 ].…”

The role of millets in attaining United Nation's sustainable developmental goals

“…Steadily increasing consumer preference to millets due to lifestyle related illness also demands a hike in millet production in the coming years (Kane‐Potaka et al, 2021). Millet‐based foods are increasingly recommended for healthy diet and to solve many health issues in recent times (Anitha et al, 2022; Anitha, Botha, et al, 2021; Anitha, Kane‐Potaka, et al, 2021). Millet consumption could also help meet SDG 3 (Good health and well‐being).…”

Antioxidant activities, structure, physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility of different millets (foxtail and proso)

“…Millets have a quite low glycaemic index (GI), and the dietary fibre, slowly digestible starch and resistant starch in millets release glucose steadily and slowly, which helps manage hyperglycaemia, thus making millets a perfect food for the diabetic populace (Ren et al ., 2016; Gowda et al ., 2022). Previous research has shown that adding millet as a staple food and developing appropriate dietary programmes are of great significance for tackling child malnutrition, managing type 2 diabetes, lowering total cholesterol levels and improving obesity and iron deficiency anaemia (Anitha et al ., 2022). From an agricultural perspective, millets have a strong adaptability to adverse living environments (Gowda et al ., 2022).…”