PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - McKune, Sarah L.
AU  - Stark, Heather
AU  - Sapp, Amanda C.
AU  - Yang, Yang
AU  - Slanzi, Crystal M.
AU  - Moore, Emily V.
AU  - Omer, Anteneh
AU  - Wereme N’Diaye, Aissata
TI  - Behavior Change, Egg Consumption, and Child Nutrition: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
AID  - 10.1542/peds.2020-007930
DP  - 2020 Dec 01
TA  - Pediatrics
PG  - e2020007930
VI  - 146
IP  - 6
4099  - http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/146/6/e2020007930.short
4100  - http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/146/6/e2020007930.full
SO  - Pediatrics2020 Dec 01; 146
AB  - Video AbstractBACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Malnutrition is a significant contributor to child morbidity and mortality globally. Egg consumption has been associated with improved child nutrition yet is rare in rural, resource-poor settings. We test the effects of a culturally tailored behavior change intervention to increase child egg consumption.METHODS: A 3-arm cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in rural Burkina Faso with 260 mother-child dyads. Children aged 4 to 17 months from 18 villages were included; those with reported history of malnutrition or egg allergy were excluded. Each child in the full intervention arm received 4 chickens, and mothers received the 10-month behavior change package. Participants in the partial intervention arm received only the behavior change package.RESULTS: In this analysis of 250 children, the full (β = 4.3; P = 6.6 × 10−12) and the partial (β = 1.0; P = .02) interventions significantly increased egg consumption. The full intervention also significantly increased poultry production (β = 11.6; 95% confidence interval 8.3–15; P = 1.1 × 10−5) and women’s decision-making about eggs (β = .66; P = .02), and significantly decreased wasting (β = .58; P = .03) and underweight (β = .47; P = .02).CONCLUSIONS: The culturally tailored behavior change package significantly increased child egg consumption. When coupled with the gift of chickens, the behavior change intervention yielded a greater increase in egg consumption and significantly reduced wasting and underweight. Behavior change strategies to increase egg consumption should be considered among nutrition and health programs in resource-poor settings where poultry is available.