A SYSTEMIC REVIEW ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COMMUNITY -BASED NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAMS TOWARDS IMPROVING CHILD GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

Malnutrition in children under five remains a global health concern, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Community-based nutrition education programs (CBNEPs) are increasingly implemented as strategies to improve child nutritional outcomes. This systematic review evaluates the global evidence on the effectiveness of CBNEPs in the improving the nutritional status of children under five. Peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2024 were retrieved from databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Inclusion criteria focused on intervention studies involving CBNEPs targeting caregivers and measuring nutritional outcomes in children under five. Of 2,153 initial articles, 27 met the eligibility criteria. The findings indicate that CBNEPs significantly improve key indicators such as weight-for-age, height-for-age, and weight-for-height zscores. Programs with culturally adapted, participatory approaches and sustained engagement showed the most impact. The review highlights the importance of integrating education with local resources and health services for sustained improvements in child nutrition.