Children grow taller in rural households where their mothers are supported to grow their own food, according to new research from the University of East Anglia (UEA). The research, which looked at households in some developing countries, showed growing their own food helped mothers to prevent their children from being stunted( 发育不足的), wasting away and underweight. Their children's food was more varied, meaning these children had access to different classes of food nutrients.
The team from UEA analyzed studies that introduced women to home farming in some African and Asian countries. The home farming included growing brightly colored vitamin A-rich fruit and vegetables, and sometimes also included chicken farming. The health of these women s children was assessed over the next year or more, and they did better than children of other women. No studies, however, reported on children's eye health. The researchers concluded that high-quality trials are needed to assess the impact of home fo0a production on nutritional blindness in children, which is caused by an insufficient intake of vitamin A.
Around 250 million pre-school children are deficient in vitamin A, according to the World Health Organization. Vitamin A deficiency is the main global cause of childhood blindness, which also increases the risk of dying from other childhood diseases and vitamin A plays a significant role in normal immune function. It remains one of the most widespread micronutrient deficiencies globally.
Mrs Chizoba Bassey led the team conducting the systematic review. She said," Well-evidenced interventions such as vitamin A supplementation programs should be adopted and expanded to children at greatest risk to prevent nutritional blindness. "
Currently there is not enough evidence of the effects of home gardening on xerophthalmia(干眼症), night blindness or the death rate in children, but the evidence from the research shows that if women take up home gardening, the risk of being stunted, wasting away and underweight in their children will be reduced. Home farming may help to achieve sustainability in controlling vitamin A deficiency and can assist vitamin A supplementation programs where they are available.