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Realising the potential human development returns to investing in early and maternal nutrition: The importance of identifying and addressing constraints over the life course

Author

Listed:
  • Chris Desmond
  • Agnes Erzse
  • Kathryn Watt
  • Kate Ward
  • Marie-Louise Newell
  • Karen Hofman
  • on behalf of the INPreP group

Abstract

The benefits of interventions which improve early nutrition are well recognised. These benefits, however, only accrue to the extent that later life circumstances allow. Consequently, in adverse contexts many of the benefits will never be realised, particularly for the most vulnerable, exacerbating inequality. Returns to investment in early nutrition could be improved if we identified contextual factors constraining their realisation and interventions to weaken these. We estimate cost and impact of scaling 10 nutrition interventions for a cohort of South African children born in 2021. We estimate associated declines in malnutrition and mortality, and improvements in years of schooling and future earnings. To examine the role of context over the life-course we estimate benefits with and without additional improvements in school quality and employment opportunities by socio-economic quintile. Scale up reduces national stunting (height for age

Suggested Citation

  • Chris Desmond & Agnes Erzse & Kathryn Watt & Kate Ward & Marie-Louise Newell & Karen Hofman & on behalf of the INPreP group, 2021. "Realising the potential human development returns to investing in early and maternal nutrition: The importance of identifying and addressing constraints over the life course," PLOS Global Public Health, Public Library of Science, vol. 1(10), pages 1-14, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pgph00:0000021
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000021
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    Cited by:

    1. Chris Desmond & Kathryn Watt & Sara Naicker & Jere Behrman & Linda Richter, 2024. "Girls' schooling is important but insufficient to promote equality for boys and girls in childhood and across the life course," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 42(1), January.

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