In her foreword to Nutrients Essential to Child Growth and Development, Dr Germana Leyna, Director of the Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre, explains why this booklet matters.
She highlights that many families in low‑ and lower‑middle‑income countries still face serious nutrition challenges. When women and young children don’t get enough essential vitamins and minerals, it can lead to stunting, greater vulnerability to illness, pregnancy complications, and reduced learning and development. The first 1,000 days of life — from conception to a child’s second birthday — are especially important, because good nutrition during this period has long‑lasting effects.
The booklet was created by United Against Malnutrition & Hunger, the Agriculture, Nutrition and Health Academy at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and Rothamsted Research. Together, they offer a straightforward overview of the vitamins and minerals most critical for healthy growth and development, with a strong focus on mothers and young children.
It is written for a wide audience — including policymakers, parliamentarians and development workers — who want to understand which nutrients are most important, who is most at risk, and what actions can help. Rather than covering every possible micronutrient, it focuses on those most linked to major nutrition problems and public health programmes, such as food fortification, supplementation and improving diet diversity.
The booklet also highlights the realities many communities face. In many countries, diets rely heavily on staple foods like grains or tubers, which don’t provide all the nutrients people need. Access to more nutritious foods can be limited by cost, weak food systems, seasonal changes, conflict or climate‑related shocks. Women and young children are often the most affected because they have higher nutritional needs and may have less access to nutritious foods and healthcare.
By presenting key information in a simple, practical way, the booklet aims to help inform better decisions and support efforts to reduce malnutrition, improve maternal and child health, and create fairer, healthier futures for all children.
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