Longitudinal Effects of Early Childhood Nutrition Interventions on School Readiness in North Central Nigeria

This study examines the longitudinal effects of early childhood nutrition interventions on school readiness outcomes among children in North Central Nigeria, covering Kwara, Kogi, and Niger states. School readiness, encompassing cognitive, language, social-emotional, and physical development domains, is profoundly shaped by nutritional experiences during the first 1,000 days of life, yet longitudinal evidence from North Central Nigeria is absent. The study employs a retrospective longitudinal design, tracking 400 children from birth records and nutrition intervention programme databases through their first year of primary school, using school readiness assessments at enrolment. Primary data collection includes the UNICEF Early Child Development Index, teacher-rated school readiness scales, and anthropometric follow-up measurements. Analytical methods include growth curve modelling, propensity score matching, and hierarchical regression with time-lagged predictors. The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Framework anchors the study, linking early nutritional exposures to later developmental trajectories. Original contributions include the first retrospective longitudinal study of early nutrition interventions and school readiness in North Central Nigeria, a contextualised school readiness measurement protocol, and evidence for the developmental returns on early childhood nutrition investment. Findings are expected to establish dose-response relationships between intervention intensity and school readiness composite scores. Recommendations target the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Social Investment Programme, and Home Economics departments in colleges of education. Keywords: early childhood nutrition, school readiness, longitudinal study, interventions, North Central Nigeria.