The Long-Term Impact of Preschool Health and Nutrition on Education

Abstract

Malnutrition and infectious diseases in infancy and early childhood have an impact on the cognitive development of children in developing countries. The long-term effects of these diseases are less well understood. A number of studies relate early malnutrition, iron deficiency, and malaria infection to poor cognitive abilities in the school-age years. The long-term effect of randomized interventions in early childhood has been evaluated for nutrition supplementation and psychosocial stimulation of malnourished children and for malaria prevention in a community cohort. The evidence suggests that improving the health and nutrition of young children can improve their subsequent chances of attending school, the gender equity of education access, and performance of children once at school.