Household socioeconomic status, dietary diversity, and risk of stunting among South African primary school children

Description

Johanna Beckmann and colleagues link household wealth, diet diversity and stunting in South African schoolchildren in a 2026 study. Children in low- and middle-income settings face food insecurity and poor diet quality, yet wealth gradients inside one marginalised area were unclear. Baseline data from a multi-country trial covered 839 primary school children, mean age 8.3 years, from four schools in a peri-urban area of Gqeberha. Parent reports covered wealth, food security and 24-hour diet.

Children averaged 5.8 healthy food groups, and 8.4 percent, one in twelve, were stunted. Poorer families faced more food insecurity, ate fewer different foods and were more likely to have stunted children. Wealthier children ate more cereals, roots, vitamin A vegetables, oil, sweets and sweet drinks. School feeding and nutrition education help, but the authors urge broader action on poverty and affordable healthy food to close the gap.

Catalog record

Source: https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13459292