Peer-reviewed article
Healthy maternal nutrition for child stunting prevention and its promotion through animated video-based education: a narrative review
Amira Farhana Azizan, Muhamad Ashraf Rostam, Mohd Ramadan Ab Hamid, Muhamad Sadry Abu Seman, Rahiwan Nazar Romli et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This review examined how maternal nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding affects child stunting in Malaysia, and explored whether animated videos could help improve maternal nutrition knowledge and practices. The research found that inadequate maternal intake of energy, protein, iron, calcium, folic acid, and vitamins A, C, and D are linked to poor fetal growth and stunting. Despite national guidelines, many mothers lack nutrition knowledge. Animated video interventions showed promise in helping mothers understand nutrition better and change their dietary behaviors.
Key points
- Inadequate maternal intakes of energy, protein, iron, calcium, folic acid, and vitamins A, C, and D are associated with intrauterine growth restriction, low birth weight, and small-for-gestational-age outcomes
- Gaps in maternal nutrition literacy and practice persist despite national guidelines
- Animated video interventions demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing maternal knowledge and dietary practices
- Maternal nutrition during pregnancy and exclusive breastfeeding are vital to preventing child stunting
- Video-based tools offer potential to improve maternal nutrition literacy and support behavior change
Limitations
This is a narrative review synthesizing existing literature rather than presenting original data or evaluating a specific intervention rigorously. The document does not provide detailed quantitative evidence on the effectiveness of animated videos, specific effect sizes, or direct comparisons with other educational approaches.
Abstract
Background: Child stunting remains a persistent public health challenge in Malaysia, despite ongoing efforts to improve maternal and child nutrition. Evidence suggests that maternal nutrition during pregnancy and exclusive breastfeeding plays a pivotal role in shaping fetal growth and early childhood development. This narrative review aimed to synthesize current evidence on maternal dietary requirements and explores the potential of animated video interventions as a strategy for nutrition education and stunting prevention. Methods: A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar, focusing on studies published from 2000 onwards. Keywords included maternal nutrition, stunting, energy and protein intake, micronutrients, and video-based education. Inclusion criteria targeted peer-reviewed studies addressing maternal nutrition during pregnancy and the use of digital tools for health education. Thematic analysis was applied to organize findings into three domains: nutritional determinants of stunting, maternal knowledge and practices, and animated video interventions. Results: The findings were thematically organized into three domains: maternal nutrition requirements, maternal knowledge and practices, and the use video-based tools for health education. Studies indicate that inadequate maternal intakes of energy, protein, iron, calcium, folic acid, and vitamins A, C, and D, are associated with intrauterine growth restriction, low birth weight, and small-for-gestational-age outcomes, the key contributors to stunting. Despite national guidelines, gaps in maternal nutrition literacy and practice persist. Animated video interventions have shown potential in improving maternal understanding, engagement, and behavior change. Studies demonstrate their effectiveness in enhancing maternal knowledge and dietary practices. Conclusion: Maternal nutrition during pregnancy and exclusive breastfeeding is vital to child growth, with deficiencies in energy, protein, and key micronutrients linked to increased stunting risk. Despite existing guidelines, gaps in maternal knowledge persist. Animated video interventions offer a solution to improve maternal nutrition literacy and support behavior change, with potential to enhance stunting prevention outcomes.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
Problem
Child stunting in Malaysia due to inadequate maternal nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Intervention
- Animated video-based education to improve maternal nutrition knowledge and dietary practices
- Population
- Pregnant women and mothers in Malaysia
Key finding
Animated video interventions have shown potential in improving maternal understanding, engagement, and behavior change