Exploring the impact of cultural beliefs, gender roles and socioeconomic factors on child malnutrition in Nigeria: A systematic review

Background: Child malnutrition, encompassing stunting, wasting, and underweight conditions, remains a critical public health crisis in Nigeria, where 37% of children under five are stunted and 22% are underweight. Beyond biological and socioeconomic drivers, cultural norms and practices constitute a substantially underexplored determinant of nutritional outcomes.
Objectives: This review examines how cultural norms, beliefs, and practices influence child malnutrition in Nigeria; identifies culturally specific practices that aggravate malnutrition; evaluates their ramifications for existing public health interventions; and offers region-specific recommendations to improve child nutrition outcomes.
Methodology: A systematic extended literature review was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Six qualitative studies published between 2019 and 2024, selected via PRISMA 2020 guidelines and appraised using the CASP tool, formed the evidence base. The PIO framework (Population, Interest, Outcome) guided the search strategy.
Results: Three thematic clusters emerged: (1) cultural beliefs; including colostrum rejection, pre-lacteal feeds, and food taboos, limit children’s access to nutrient-rich foods; (2) patriarchal gender roles result in inequitable intrahousehold food distribution that disadvantages women and children; and (3) socioeconomic deprivation interacts with cultural norms to compound nutritional deficits. All six studies scored 20/20 on the CASP appraisal, confirming methodological rigour.
Discussion: Findings align with Social Cognitive Theory and the Social Determinants of Health framework, demonstrating that malnutrition in Nigeria is reproduced through community observational learning and structural inequities. Patriarchal decision-making, religious food restrictions, and inadequate male engagement in maternal and child health perpetuate the cycle of undernutrition.
Conclusion: Effective reduction of child malnutrition in Nigeria requires culturally attuned public health interventions that engage religious and traditional leaders, incorporate fathers into nutrition decision-making, and integrate cultural sensitivity into policy frameworks. Region-specific programming addressing both Northern and Southern Nigeria’s distinct cultural landscapes is essential.