2025 3MT Qualifier 2nd Place - Rita Franco

Improving Child Nutrition Through Household Poultry Projects in Guatemala
Rita Franco - PhD in Family and Consumer Sciences
Adviser: Dr. Ginny Lane
The University of Idaho is conducting research in a Mayan community in Guatemala, where 6 out of 10 children under five are stunted, and 3 out of 4 families are food insecure. Stunting is when a child is too short for their age. Stunting has irreversible consequences, affecting learning capacity and job opportunities and increasing the risk of infections and chronic diseases.
The lack of affordable protein in children's meals is a contributing factor. The research has shown that children who eat one egg daily are more likely to have an appropriate height for their age, suggesting that egg consumption can prevent stunting. Providing children with eggs daily could help prevent stunting and improve their future.