New Delhi:
Egg can be really beneficial for children as it may increase their growth and reduce stunting by 47%, according to a new study.
“Eggs can be affordable and easily accessible. They are a good source of nutrients for growth and development in young children and have the potential to contribute to reduced growth stunting around the world,” said lead author Lora Iannotti from the Washington University in St. Louis.
According to the study, those who had an egg per day had reduced prevalence of stunting by 47% and underweight by 74%.
“We were surprised by just how effective this intervention proved to be. The size of the effect was 0.63 compared to the 0.39 global average,” Iannotti said.
For the study, participants were six to nine months babies who were fed one egg per day for six months while a control group was not fed eggs.
According to Lannotti, eggs are a complete food and are more accessible in resource-poor populations.
“Eggs seem to be a viable and recommended source of nutrition for children in developing countries,” Iannotti said.
