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Vaccination of household chickens results in a shift in young children’s diet and improves child growth in rural Kenya

Author

Listed:
  • Elkanah Otiang

    (a College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi, Nairobi 00100, Kenya;; b Center for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu 40100, Kenya;; c Washington State University Global Health–Kenya, Nairobi 72938-00200, Kenya;)

  • Jonathan Yoder

    (d Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164;; e School of Economic Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164;)

  • Shanthi Manian

    (d Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164;; e School of Economic Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164;)

  • Zoë A. Campbell

    (f International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi 00100, Kenya;)

  • Samuel M. Thumbi

    (a College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi, Nairobi 00100, Kenya;; b Center for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu 40100, Kenya;; c Washington State University Global Health–Kenya, Nairobi 72938-00200, Kenya;; d Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164;)

  • Lucy W. Njagi

    (a College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi, Nairobi 00100, Kenya;)

  • Philip N. Nyaga

    (a College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi, Nairobi 00100, Kenya;)

  • Guy H. Palmer

    (c Washington State University Global Health–Kenya, Nairobi 72938-00200, Kenya;; d Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164;; g University of Nairobi Institute of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Nairobi 72938-00200, Kenya)

Abstract

This randomized, controlled trial demonstrates that by relieving a constraint on household nutritional assets, here through reducing chicken mortality through vaccination, households make dietary choices for young children that increase consumption of protein- and micronutrient-rich foods and decrease relative consumption of high-carbohydrate, low-protein grains. The study provides causal evidence that this shift in diet results in improved height for age, a key measure of childhood stunting. Given the high prevalence of childhood growth failure in rural Africa, these results highlight the potential to increase the utility of a common household animal asset to reduce the burden of childhood stunting in these communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Elkanah Otiang & Jonathan Yoder & Shanthi Manian & Zoë A. Campbell & Samuel M. Thumbi & Lucy W. Njagi & Philip N. Nyaga & Guy H. Palmer, 2022. "Vaccination of household chickens results in a shift in young children’s diet and improves child growth in rural Kenya," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 119(24), pages 2122389119-, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nas:journl:v:119:y:2022:p:e2122389119
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