Wild Foods Are Positively Associated with Diet Diversity and Child Growth in a Protected Forest Area of Madagascar

BackgroundConcurrent losses in biodiversity and human dietary diversity are evident in Madagascar and across many food systems globally. Wild food harvest can mitigate nutrition insecurities but may also pose species conservation concerns.ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine the association of wild plant and animal species consumption during hunger season with diet diversity and child growth near Alandraza-Agnalavelo protected forest in southwestern Madagascar. Secondarily, we studied the conservation status of the consumed wild plants.MethodsMethods from public health nutrition (24-hour recall dietary intake, anthropometry using World Health Organization WHO Growth Standards), ethnobotany, and forest ecology (ecological studies of abundance, habitat preference, associated species, food chemistry assays, species richness) were applied.ResultsMalnutrition in children (n=305) was highly prevalent: stunting (32.3%); wasting (18.8%); and low dietary diversity (4% meeting WHO minimum dietary diversity threshold). Animal foods were consumed in small quantities, providing less than 10% of dietary reference intakes for all limiting nutrients. Twenty-two wild plant species were consumed during hunger season, prominently tubers (Dioscoreaceae) and leafy greens (Asteraceae, Blechnaceae, Portulacaceae, and Solanaceae). Eight of the nine target species were identified as abundant and "Least Concern," while Amorphophollus taurostigma, was abundant and "Vulnerable." Regression modeling showed wild food consumption was associated with an increased household dietary diversity score β=0.29 (0.06 SE), p<0.001, and total wild animal foods positively correlated with height-for-age Z score β=0.14 (0.07 SE); p=0.04.ConclusionsWild plant and animal foods may be an important element of food systems to support human nutrition while maintaining ecosystem viability.