Researchers in Ghana studied how giving babies special nutrient supplements early in life affects their emotional and social development. They followed over 960 children from before birth through age 4-6 years. Kids who received the supplements had fewer behavior and attention problems, especially when they also lived in homes where caregivers were responsive and supportive. The study shows that combining good nutrition with a caring home environment gives children the best chance to develop healthy emotions and social skills. This research suggests that helping families with both nutrition and support creates the strongest benefits for children’s wellbeing.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether giving babies a special nutrient-rich supplement from 6 to 18 months old helps them develop better emotional and social skills, and how this works together with the quality of their home environment.
  • Who participated: 966 children in Ghana who were followed from before birth through ages 4-6 years. Their mothers received different types of supplements during pregnancy and after birth, and researchers assessed the children’s home environments and behavior.
  • Key finding: Children who received the special lipid-based nutrient supplement had fewer behavior problems and emotional difficulties compared to children who didn’t receive it. This benefit was strongest when children also lived in homes where caregivers were responsive and the environment was safe and stimulating.
  • What it means for you: Early nutrition support combined with a caring, responsive home environment appears to help children develop better emotional control and social skills. This suggests that both nutrition and family support matter for healthy child development, though more research in different populations is needed.

The Research Details

This was a randomized controlled trial, which is considered one of the strongest types of research studies. Researchers randomly assigned 1,320 pregnant women in Ghana to receive one of three different supplement types: a special nutrient-rich supplement (LNS), a standard multivitamin, or iron and folic acid. The women took their assigned supplements during pregnancy and for 6 months after birth. Babies in the special nutrient group continued receiving supplements from 6 to 18 months old.

When the children were 4-6 years old, researchers assessed their home environments by looking at things like how responsive caregivers were to the children, whether the home was safe and clean, what learning materials were available, and how much academic stimulation children received. They also evaluated each child’s emotional and social development, including behavior, attention, and overall social-emotional difficulties.

The researchers compared outcomes between the group that received the special nutrient supplement and the combined control group (who received the other two types of supplements). They also looked at how the home environment and nutrition worked together to influence child development.

This research approach is important because it shows how two different factors—nutrition and home environment—work together to influence child development. By randomly assigning supplements, researchers could be more confident that differences between groups were due to the supplement itself, not other factors. Looking at the home environment helps explain why some children benefit more than others, which is more realistic than studying nutrition alone.

This study has several strengths: it’s a randomized controlled trial (the gold standard for research), it followed a large number of children over many years, and it measured multiple aspects of child development and home environment. The study was conducted in Ghana, which provides valuable information about children in low- and middle-income countries. However, the study only included children in Ghana, so results may not apply to all populations. Some families may have moved or dropped out of the study, which could affect results. The study measured home environment at one point in time, so it doesn’t show how changes in the home might affect outcomes.

What the Results Show

Children who received the special nutrient supplement had fewer total social-emotional difficulties compared to children in the control group. This benefit appeared to be strongest when combined with a supportive home environment. Specifically, when children lived in homes where caregivers were responsive and accepting of children’s behavior, the supplement’s protective effect was most noticeable.

The supplement appeared to be especially helpful for reducing hyperactivity and attention problems in children. Interestingly, living in a physically safe environment (clean, organized, free from hazards) was linked to fewer hyperactivity and attention problems, but only for children who had received the nutrient supplement. This suggests the supplement may have helped children benefit more from their safer surroundings.

The quality of the home environment mattered significantly for all children. Homes where caregivers were responsive and accepting, and where there were learning materials and academic stimulation, had children with fewer emotional and behavioral difficulties. However, children who received the nutrient supplement seemed to be more protected from problems even when their home environment was less ideal.

The research found that less academic stimulation in the home was connected to more hyperactivity and attention problems, but this was only true for children in the control group. Children who received the nutrient supplement appeared to be somewhat protected from the negative effects of low academic stimulation. This suggests that good nutrition may help children’s brains develop in ways that make them more resilient to environmental challenges.

Previous research has shown that both nutrition and home environment separately affect child development. This study adds important new information by showing how they work together. The finding that nutrition supplements are most effective in supportive home environments aligns with other research suggesting that interventions work best when multiple factors are addressed together. The study supports the growing understanding that children’s development depends on both biological factors (like nutrition) and environmental factors (like caregiver responsiveness).

The study only included children in Ghana, so results may not apply to children in other countries or cultures with different home environments and nutrition challenges. The researchers measured the home environment at only one point in time, so they couldn’t track how changes in the home might affect outcomes. Some families dropped out of the study over time, which could have affected results if those families were different from families who stayed. The study couldn’t prove that the supplement caused the improvements—only that children who received it had better outcomes. Other factors not measured in the study could have influenced results.

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, early-life nutritional supplementation appears beneficial for children’s emotional and social development, particularly when combined with a supportive home environment. The evidence suggests that interventions targeting both nutrition and family support may be more effective than addressing either factor alone. However, this study was conducted in Ghana, so recommendations should be adapted to local contexts and populations. Parents and caregivers should focus on providing responsive, supportive interactions with children and creating safe, stimulating home environments. Healthcare providers in low- and middle-income countries may consider nutritional supplementation programs as part of broader child development initiatives.

This research is most relevant to families and children in low- and middle-income countries where nutritional deficiencies are common. Healthcare providers, policymakers, and program developers working in these settings should pay attention to these findings. Parents and caregivers who want to support their children’s emotional and social development will find value in understanding the importance of both nutrition and a responsive home environment. This research is less directly applicable to children in wealthy countries where severe nutritional deficiencies are rare, though the principles about responsive caregiving and supportive environments apply universally.

Changes in child behavior and emotional development typically take time to observe. Based on this research, the supplement was given from 6 to 18 months, and benefits were measured at ages 4-6 years, suggesting that improvements in social-emotional development may take months to years to become apparent. Parents and caregivers shouldn’t expect immediate changes but should look for gradual improvements in attention, behavior, and emotional regulation over several months to a year.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your child’s attention and behavior patterns weekly using a simple rating scale (1-5) for categories like: ability to focus on activities, response to caregiver instructions, emotional outbursts, and cooperative behavior. Note any changes over 4-week periods to identify trends.
  • Use the app to set reminders for responsive caregiving practices: daily one-on-one interaction time with your child, acknowledging and validating emotions, providing learning opportunities through play, and creating a safe, organized physical space. Log completion of these activities to build consistent habits.
  • Create a monthly summary view showing trends in child behavior and home environment quality. Track whether you’re maintaining responsive caregiving practices, providing learning materials and stimulation, and maintaining a safe physical environment. Correlate these with observed changes in your child’s emotional and social development over 3-6 month periods.

This research was conducted in Ghana and may not apply to all populations. The study shows associations between supplementation and child development outcomes but cannot prove that supplements alone cause improvements. Nutritional supplementation should only be given under guidance from a healthcare provider, as appropriate supplements vary by age, health status, and local nutritional needs. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Parents and caregivers should consult with their pediatrician or healthcare provider before starting any supplementation program for their children. The benefits of supplementation appear strongest when combined with a supportive home environment, responsive caregiving, and access to learning materials.