Abstract:
Background: The escalating frequency and severity of climate extremes, such as floods and droughts,
are projected to exacerbate the burden of malnutrition. This issue is particularly pronounced among
vulnerable populations, including children under five years of age and pregnant women, wherein
malnutrition may be further aggravated by the prevalence of culturally ingrained food taboos. While
food taboos are often instituted with the intent of safeguarding the health of specific demographic
groups, they may also restrict the impose restrictions on the consumption of essential nutrients, thereby
impeding optimal growth and development.
Aims: This study aimed to explore the relationship between culturally ingrained food taboos and the
nutritional status of mothers and children.
Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted across a range of electronic databases, including
Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Semantic Scholar. Following the removal of duplicate
entries and the application of pre-defined inclusion criteria, a total of 45 articles were selected for
comprehensive analysis. The methodological rigor of the included studies was appraised using the
AMSTAR checklist.
Results: The earliest article identified within this review was published in 1994. The majority of the
studies were conducted in African countries (24), followed by Asia nations (15). Food taboos
predominantly involved plant-based sources (13 articles), with animal-based food sources also frequently
subject to prohibitions. Of the reviewed articles, 62.2% focused on women of childbearing age, while
six articles specifically addressed children. Notably, only two studies incorporated anthropometric
measurements to establish a direct association between food taboos and nutritional outcomes.
Conclusion: Although scholarly inquiry into the intersection of food taboos and maternal and child
nutrition has witnessed expansion in recent years, there remains a critical need for more exhaustive
studies that employ anthropometric measurements to elucidate the impact of food taboos on nutritional
status. Such research would yield more definitive insights into the effects of food taboos on nutritional
well-being and inform the development of targeted interventions to address this issue
