The education of millions of children throughout the world is being held back by
malnutrition (19). Malnutrition in early childhood can affect school aptitudes, time of school
enrolment, concentration and attentiveness. Children with a history of severe malnutrition
perform less well on tests of IQ and specific factual knowledge than children in matched
comparison groups (9;20). Undernourishment also impairs the ability to concentrate, learn and
attend school regularly (19). A child who is malnourished and subsequently suffering from poor
health cannot adequately take advantage of instructional and learning materials (9). Thus, good
nutrition is needed to strengthen the learning potential of children, to enable them to learn
effectively and maximize investments in education.