Addressing child under nutrition: can traditional practices offer a solution?

Glob Health Action. 2017;10(1):1327255. doi: 10.1080/16549716.2017.1327255.

Abstract

Child under nutrition continues to be a challenge to global development, especially in resource-poor contexts. In the multifaceted attempts to address this challenge, popular traditional practices, although closely linked to infant health, remain neglected and less researched. The World Health Organization's recent strategy on traditional medicine systems provides overarching guidance in this regard. In this commentary, we attempt to exemplify this. We highlight the importance of traditional child care practices with regard to child nutrition and the need for trans-disciplinary research to explore the potential of these for public health. Infant oil massage appears to be a potentially beneficial practice for child nutrition. Rigorous trans-disciplinary research on traditional infant massage can provide simple solutions to address child under nutrition and nurture human capabilities globally.

Keywords: Child care; child nutrition; complementary therapy; infant care; massage; nutrition; public health; traditional medicine.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child Health Services / standards*
  • Child Nutrition Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Child Nutrition Disorders / therapy*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Medicine, Traditional / standards*
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic*
  • Public Health Administration
  • World Health Organization

Grants and funding

This work did not receive any external funding. SC was supported by the Indian University Grant Commission’s Dr D. S. Kothari Postdoctoral Fellowship.