Leveraging orange-fleshed sweetpotato to advance childhood nutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Childhood undernutrition, a public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, contributes to stunted growth, weakened immune systems, and increased child mortality. Among micronutrient deficiencies, vitamin A deficiency is the most prevalent, affecting nearly half of preschool-aged children. The orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP), a biofortified crop rich in β-carotene, a provitamin A, is a potential sustainable food-based approach to curb the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency. This narrative review synthesises evidence on vitamin A, phytic acid, aflatoxin content, and viscosity of OFSP-based complementary foods. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar to identify studies (n = 38) published between 1985 and 2025. All articles used for this review were peer-reviewed and included reports on provitamin A or vitamin A, phytate, viscosity, and aflatoxin levels in complementary foods made with OFSP. Studies reporting only agronomic data or published in languages other than English were excluded. The vitamin A levels of the OFSP-based complementary foods met the WHO-recommended adequate intake of 400 μg RE/100 g for infants. OFSP-based complementary foods had lower phytate levels, making their nutrients more readily available for absorption. In addition, they had a thinner consistency, appropriate for infants. OFSP is also a low-risk crop for aflatoxin contamination. Based on the review findings, OFSP-based complementary foods could be better alternatives for infant feeding. Incorporating OFSP into nutrition plans could be key to addressing malnutrition and vitamin A deficiency, helping infants and young children in the region achieve positive health outcomes.