# Supporting child growth and development through integrated, responsive parenting, nutrition and hygiene

> **NIH NIH R01** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $617,611

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
 A disturbingly high number of young children around the world experience stunted growth and development
with irreparable consequences through the lifespan. Recent estimates show 250 million children less than five
years of age are not reaching their developmental potential, and 151 million have stunted growth.1,2
Determinants of stunted growth and development are multi-factorial, including interactions between biological,
behavioral, social, and environmental conditions, yet the evidence-base is minimal for integrated approaches
to tackle the interwoven factors. Our group recently found significant impacts from an egg intervention on
young child growth and biomarkers of nutrition and brain development. The effects on important psychosocial
indictors of child development, however, were not assessed. Building on these findings and those of our pilot
study of a group-based, multicomponent intervention (Grandi Byen, Haitian Creole for “grow well”), we propose
a larger RCT to examine a greater breadth of egg intervention outcomes, the synergistic effects of adding
psychoeducational parenting to the egg intervention, and mediating biological, behavioral and social factors.
The 3-arm longitudinal RCT, to be carried out in Cap-Haitien, Haiti, where our group has nine years of
research experience, established partnerships, and a strong research infrastructure. It is representative of
resource-poor urban contexts globally, where parents face common economic and environmental challenges
to child growth and development. The trial will compare the following groups for effectiveness in reducing
young child stunted growth and enhancing overall development: 1) multicomponent Grandi Byen intervention
(responsive parenting, nutrition, hygiene + one egg per day for 6 months); 2) nutrition intervention (one egg per
day for 6 months); and 3) standard well-baby care. Infants will be enrolled between 6-8 months of age and
followed longitudinally for one year. The specific aims are:
 Aim 1 (primary): To demonstrate the reproducibility and feasibility of egg-based interventions in reducing
childhood stunting, and test its impact on development. Hypothesis 1: Linear growth will be increased by 0.30
LAZ in children receiving one egg per day compared to standard care. Hypothesis 2: Children receiving the
egg intervention will have better cognitive, motor and language development compared to standard care.
Question 1 (exploratory): Does an egg-based intervention impact social-emotional development?
 Aim 2 (primary): To investigate the incremental benefit of Grandi Byen compared to egg only and
standard care groups on primary outcomes of child growth and development. Hypothesis 3: Children of
mothers receiving Grandi Byen will increase linear growth by 0.10 LAZ compared to the egg intervention.
Hypothesis 4: Children of mothers receiving Grandi Byen will have higher scores on child cognition, language,
motor, and socio-emotional development, with an effect size of 0...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9887899
- **Project number:** 1R01HD098255-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Lora Lynn Iannotti
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $617,611
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-05-06 → 2025-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9887899

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9887899, Supporting child growth and development through integrated, responsive parenting, nutrition and hygiene (1R01HD098255-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9887899. Licensed CC0.

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