Reducing Childhood Stunting Risk Through Community-Based Nutrition Education and Caregiver Empowerment in Rural Nepal

Background: Stunting affects around one in four Nepali children under five, and the risk is higher in rural Sudurpashchim Province, where young children's diets are dominated by rice, feeding knowledge is uneven, and growth faltering is often noticed late. Female Community Health Volunteers run monthly mothers' groups in these villages, but their nutrition sessions usually rely on lectures without practical demonstrations. Objective: This programme aimed to reduce stunting risk among children under five in two rural municipalities of Kanchanpur district by strengthening caregiver feeding practices through community-based nutrition education delivered with the volunteers. Methods: The programme used community-based participatory research from August 2025 to January 2026. Eighteen volunteers were trained as co-facilitators, and 112 caregivers of children aged 6 to 59 months joined eight sessions with cooking demonstrations using local foods such as jaulo and lito, followed by monthly growth monitoring at health posts. Data came from questionnaires, session observations, and child measurements at baseline and endline. Results: Caregiver knowledge scores rose from 48.3 to 76.9. Children meeting minimum dietary diversity rose from 31.5 to 53.4 percent, mean height-for-age improved modestly, and stunting prevalence fell from 38.1 to 34.7 percent. Conclusion and Implications: Pairing practical cooking sessions with regular growth monitoring helped caregivers act on advice at home. The model fits existing volunteer structures and can be adopted by other rural municipalities.