If the children had a diet containing animal products, they suffered less from malnutrition and related developmental deficiencies. Studies have shown that the consumption of meat, milk products, eggs, and fish can reduce the risk of these developmental deficits. Animal products significantly reduce the risk of stuntingThe results speak for themselves: If the girl or boy consumed animal products even occasionally, the risk of stunting fell by almost seven percentage points. The consumption of eggs had the largest effect, followed by milk products and fish. “However, the positive effect of a purely plant-based diet was lower than if the child also consumed animal products,” says Khonje.