Bundle of nutrition, parenting and healthy routines to boost early childhood development
Official title: Impact of combined nutrition, responsive parenting, and health intervention on childhood development (BUNDLE) study
Funded at University of South Carolina at Columbia · NIH-11416291 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A funded program will test how combining responsive parenting, nutrition (eggs and dried fish), and infection-control activities affects young children's development in Liberia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Carolina at Columbia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project start | September 16, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $440,054 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD116874-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11416291 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are children 6 to 30 months old and their caregivers in the Bomi, Lofa, Nimba, and Margibi counties of Liberia who are enrolled in or connected to local health services.
✕Less likely to help
Children outside the 6 to 30 month age range or not connected to the targeted health service platforms may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
This study will compare a bundled intervention with two components (responsive stimulation and animal-source foods) and their combination, delivered through existing health services by trained community members over 9 months for children aged 6 to 30 months. Researchers will use a four-arm cluster-randomized design to measure developmental outcomes and growth, following families in several Liberian counties. The approach leverages Plan International’s delivery platform and existing health contacts to reach caregivers and support early learning and nutrition in real-world settings. Results could inform scalable strategies to support vulnerable children in low-resource environments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could improve early development and health for young children by strengthening caregiver interactions and nutrition within routine health services.
How similar studies have gone: Previous related work suggests that caregiver stimulation and nutrition can improve child development, but this specific bundled, health-system-integrated approach is being tested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of South Carolina at Columbia
Columbia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rudisill, Anne Caroline — University of South Carolina at Columbia
- Study coordinator: Rudisill, Anne Caroline
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.