The first Lancet series on Childhood Development published in 2007, estimated that over 200 million children under five years of age in low- and middle-income countries could not attain their development potential primarily due to poverty, nutritional deficiencies, and inadequate learning opportunities. The major risks identified included malnutrition, iron and iodine deficiency, and lack of cognitive stimulation. There is evidence that high quality interventions provided early in life to disadvantaged children were effective in preventing the loss of developmental potential......
