In Benin, malnutrition and misinformed views contribute to widespread stunting in children
Summary
In Benin, many children under 5 have stunted growth due to malnutrition and incorrect beliefs about nutrition. Experts say stunting causes lasting health and brain development problems and is hard to reverse if it occurs in early childhood.Key Facts
- Over 30% of children under 5 in Benin suffer from stunted growth.
- Stunting means children are shorter than average for their age because of poor nutrition.
- Stunting mostly happens in the first 1,000 days of life and is mostly irreversible.
- Some local beliefs wrongly discourage giving children nutritious foods like milk and eggs.
- Families often keep animals like goats and chickens for sale rather than daily nutrition.
- The Benin government aims to reduce stunting rates to under 30% by 2030.
- Volunteers measure children's arm circumference to detect wasting, another sign of malnutrition.
- Lack of knowledge about proper child feeding contributes to the problem.
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