Healthy maternal nutrition for child stunting prevention and its promotion through animated video-based education: a narrative review

Background: Child stunting remains a persistent public health challenge in Malaysia, despite ongoing efforts to improve maternal and child nutrition. Evidence suggests that maternal nutrition during pregnancy and exclusive breastfeeding plays a pivotal role in shaping fetal growth and early childhood development. This narrative review aimed to synthesize current evidence on maternal dietary requirements and explores the potential of animated video interventions as a strategy for nutrition education and stunting prevention. Methods: A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar, focusing on studies published from 2000 onwards. Keywords included maternal nutrition, stunting, energy and protein intake, micronutrients, and video-based education. Inclusion criteria targeted peer-reviewed studies addressing maternal nutrition during pregnancy and the use of digital tools for health education. Thematic analysis was applied to organize findings into three domains: nutritional determinants of stunting, maternal knowledge and practices, and animated video interventions. Results: The findings were thematically organized into three domains: maternal nutrition requirements, maternal knowledge and practices, and the use video-based tools for health education. Studies indicate that inadequate maternal intakes of energy, protein, iron, calcium, folic acid, and vitamins A, C, and D, are associated with intrauterine growth restriction, low birth weight, and small-for-gestational-age outcomes, the key contributors to stunting. Despite national guidelines, gaps in maternal nutrition literacy and practice persist. Animated video interventions have shown potential in improving maternal understanding, engagement, and behavior change. Studies demonstrate their effectiveness in enhancing maternal knowledge and dietary practices. Conclusion: Maternal nutrition during pregnancy and exclusive breastfeeding is vital to child growth, with deficiencies in energy, protein, and key micronutrients linked to increased stunting risk. Despite existing guidelines, gaps in maternal knowledge persist. Animated video interventions offer a solution to improve maternal nutrition literacy and support behavior change, with potential to enhance stunting prevention outcomes.