By The Zambia Academy of Sciences
Defined by the World Health Organisation as low height-for-age, stunting is the most common form of undernutrition. The effects of stunting extend far beyond physical appearance; stunting impairs children’s cognitive and socioemotional growth, eventually robbing them of their full potential. In Zambia, stunting is the silent epidemic that undermines the very foundation of our nation’s future. According to UNICEF Zambia, 35% of Zambian children under five years suffer from stunting. When stunting sets in, it is carried through childhood and adulthood. This means that human capital development is affected, and as a result, the potential of millions of young minds and bodies is left unrealized
The first 1,000 days of a child’s life, from conception to the child’s second birthday, is a critical window for growth and development. During this time, proper maternal and child nutrition, including breastfeeding and the introduction of nutritious complementary foods, is not just important; it is essential. It is a prerequisite for normal physical, cognitive and intellectual development, and general well-being.
During the first 1,000 days, brain cell connections are formed at a rate of one million every second, making the brain the fastest growing organ in a child’s body during this time. It reaches, 80% of the adult brain capacity at the age of two, 90% of the adult brain capacity at the age of five, and 95% of adult capacity by six years of age. In addition, during this narrow window, the brain has an extremely high absorptive capacity and can easily adapt to any environment or situation. In fact, this is the only window in human life that an individual can be programmed to become anything in future. In other words, the foundation of human capital is built at this stage. Thus, during the formative years, with proper nutrition, the brain will have formed the foundation of the cognitive function, including the executive skills of the cognitive function. Cognitive function refers to the mental processes that enable individuals to carry out tasks, from the simplest to the most complex. These functions involve the ability to remember, reason, think abstractly, comprehend ideas, plan, solve problems, and learn from experience. Beyond the first 1,000 days, the brain adaptability begins slowing down, and beyond five years, this ability decreases significantly. Furthermore, once severely stunted, the child’s cognitive development remains impaired through adolescence and adulthood even if this individual is exposed to better nutrition later in life. Thus, undernutrition during the first 1,000 days, particularly if it is severe, can have devastating effects and the potential of a child developing fully will slip away.
In Zambia, undernutrition, predominantly of the pregnant woman and the child up to age five, is the leading cause of stunting. Yet, the topic is in the background in our public conversations; it is not discussed widely enough. This is despite the fact that there are multiple players, private and public, including government, within the space of early childhood development. The high prevalence of stunting has contributed to impairment of growth and cognitive function which, in severe cases, results in individuals who exhibit persistent behavioural and cognitive deficits, significantly lower memory ability score, aggravating illness, lower educational attainment, and diminished livelihood skills. These severe effects on human capital development threaten the quality of not only the child’s own life, but also the quality of the next generation as a cumulative society. This is catastrophic on the economy of the nation. Consequently, Zambia’s development will continue to lag if this aspect of human capital development is not addressed. As a nation, we have focused on addressing what we believe are adverse situations. In fact, the elephant in the room is inadequate human capacity. Zambia does not have a critical mass of competent human capital because of neglecting the formative years in our human development.
The solution is to enable every person and, in particular, the expectant mothers and children under five years, to have access to the essential foods required to satisfy the nutrient requirements. Government must, therefore:
- prioritize this issue and strengthen policies to invest heavily in the first 1,000 days of human life;
- strengthen community education on the need for appropriate nutrition during pregnancy, breastfeeding (even beyond the six months of exclusive breastfeeding), nutritious and adequate weaning diets; and
- invest in research to identify and promote local food varieties rich in the micronutrients required for healthy growth and cognitive development.
We applaud the Government of the Republic of Zambia’s development of Food-Based Dietary Guidelines in 2021 that provide guidance on six groups of foods that must be consumed by weaned children and adults, in order to satisfy the nutrient requirements. We also note that government has continued to recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. While we acknowledge that all nutrients are important, there are certain critical nutrients that are required particularly for proper cognitive development during the first 1,000 days. These are protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 fatty acids), iron, zinc, iodine, selenium, vitamin A, vitamin B9 (folic acid) and choline. Good access to these nutrients will enable brain cells to multiply at an ideal rate so that the Zambian child has the required number of these cells at birth.
Good nutrition is, more than just a priority; it is a fundamental right for each child. It must be made mandatory, embedded further into our national policy, and reinforced by decisive action if we are to break this cycle of stunting. Therefore, the Zambia Academy of Sciences urges the nation to take stunting seriously. With citizens who are physically, cognitively, and emotionally capable, we can move mountains. Together, we can create a future in which every Zambian child has the opportunity to grow, learn, and excel, thereby creating a stronger, more prosperous nation for generations to come.
Contributing Authors
Professor Kavwanga Yambayamba
Professor Godfrey Biemba
Dr. Henry Njapau
Ms. Emily Nawezhi Mwanza
Dr. Sheila Tamara Shawa-Musonda
Professor Phenny Mwaanga
Dr. Angela Gono-Bwalya
Dr. Kutemba Kaina Kapanji-Kakoma
