Forests improve dietary diversity

Environmental StudiesMicronutrient deficiency affects nearly two billion people worldwide and particularly affects children in developing countries. Analyzing data on childrenu0027s diets in more than 43,000 households across 27 developing countries, Rasolofoson et al. show that access to local forests, and the foods they provide, directly improves dietary diversity and mitigates nutrient deficiencies comparably to nutrition-sensitive agricultural programs. The magnitude of this connection between nutrition and forests is greatest in communities with lower levels of development and implies that nutrition deficiencies in developing communities may be driven by the loss or poor management of local forests.Sci. Adv. 10.1126/sciadv.aat2853 (2018).