2 July 2024 – A newly published scoping review examines the literature to determine the impact of balanced energy and protein dietary supplementation (BEP) and other related nutrition interventions that provide fortified food or cash along with a minimum of three micronutrients on maternal, birth, and infant and child outcomes in low- and middle-income countries.
Co-authored by Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Consortium (HMHB) Program Lead, Martin Mwangi and Micronutrient Forum’s Senior Research Associate, Sonja Hess, and other researchers, this study found that several trials of antenatal nutrition interventions providing specialized nutritious food or food plus supplementation with at least three micronutrients demonstrated positive effects on birthweight and length. There were also some indications of benefit on gestational weight gain, duration of gestation, and infant/child growth. However, data were insufficient, and results were inconsistent. The study concluded that additional research is needed to investigate issues of dose, cost-effectiveness, and incorporation into multi-component interventions.