Animal and Plant Proteins for Growth in Stunted Asian Children: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Asia bears more than half of the global burden of childhood stunting, yet evidence regarding the relative effectiveness of animal and plant proteins in promoting linear growth remains fragmented. This article synthesizes evidence on the effectiveness of animal- and plant-based protein interventions among stunted children and populations at high risk of stunting in Asia. A systematic literature review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Literature searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect, while study screening was managed using Covidence. Of 470 records identified, seven intervention studies published between 2020 and 2024 from Bangladesh, India, the Philippines, and Cambodia met the inclusion criteria and were narratively synthesized according to SWiM guidelines. The findings indicate that animal protein interventions generally improved length-for-age z-scores (LAZ) by 0.08–0.37, particularly when combined with micronutrient supplementation and nutrition education. Well-formulated plant protein interventions produced comparable, and in some cases superior, growth outcomes relative to animal-based interventions. However, the overall certainty of the evidence ranged from low to very low. These findings suggest that stunting-reduction strategies in Asia should integrate affordable animal-source proteins with high-quality plant proteins, alongside micronutrient support and nutrition education, to optimize child growth and nutritional outcomes.