Maternal & Child Nutrition · 6 authors, 4 centres
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This cluster-randomized controlled trial evaluated a 3-year Homestead Food Production program in Bangladesh that promoted poultry rearing and nutrition counseling. The program significantly increased women's and children's egg consumption during the intervention and for one year after it ended.
The intervention promoted home gardening, poultry rearing, and nutrition counseling. The study used intention-to-treat analyses with mixed-effects logistic regression models to analyze poultry production and egg consumption (24-h recall) measured repeatedly. The intervention increased poultry ownership by 16 percentage points and egg production by 13 percentage points in the final year. It doubled women's odds of egg consumption in the final year (OR: 2.31, 95% CI: 1.68−3.18), with effects sustained one year post-intervention (OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.16−2.15). Children's odds of egg consumption also increased in the final year (OR: 3.04, 95% CI: 1.87−4.95). Poultry ownership mediated only 12% of the effect on women's egg consumption, suggesting other program components like nutrition counseling were key. Limitations include challenges in sustaining poultry management practices and low overall egg production. The findings demonstrate the program's potential for longer-term positive effects on poultry production and dietary quality.
