Comparison 1. Unconditional cash transfers (UCT) versus no intervention.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1.1 Proportion of household expenditure on food	3		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	4.24 [‐2.88, 11.36]
1.2 Proportion consuming > 1 meal/day	2		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
1.3 Food security scores	3		Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.18 [0.13, 0.23]
1.4 Dietary Diversity Score including composite food consumption score (FCS) (weighted)	3		Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
1.5 Proportion with minimum dietary diversity	2		Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
1.6 Proportion of food poverty (per capita daily caloric intake < 2122 calories)	2		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐4.64 [‐9.34, 0.06]
1.7 Proportion stunted (height‐for‐age z‐score (HAZ) < ‐2SD)	2		Odds Ratio (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.62 [0.46, 0.84]
1.8 HAZ	7		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
1.8.1 Change in z‐scores	6		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.07 [‐0.04, 0.18]
1.8.2 Change in z‐score/month	1		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.00 [‐0.00, 0.00]
1.9 Weight‐for‐height z‐score (WHZ)	6		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
1.9.1 Change in z‐scores	5		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.02 [‐0.10, 0.06]
1.9.2 Change in z‐scores/month	1		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.00 [‐0.01, 0.00]
1.10 Weight‐for‐age z‐score (WAZ)	2		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.04 [‐0.43, 0.35]
1.11 Haemoglobin concentration (g/dL)	2		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.06 [‐0.21, 0.09]
1.12 Depression score (CES‐D scale)	3		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.41 [‐1.31, 0.49]
1.13 Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)	2		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.15 [‐0.26, ‐0.03]