Experiences of the Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) Programme in Nepal: From Pilot to Scale Up
Haag, Karan Courtney, Anirudra Sharma, Kedar Raj Parajuli, et al. Field Exchange 63, October 2020
- Nutrition in Humanitarian Contexts
Reports and Tools
This program addresses severe wasting in the context of humanitarian crises. Sustainability relies on a government-owned and -managed approach, a strong policy framework, national and devolved governance architecture, commitment and dedicated financing, and services integrated within a well-developed community health system and delivered by skilled government health workers. Ongoing challenges include supply chain management of ready-to-use therapeutic food, case identification, continuing low treatment coverage, and management of moderate wasting.
Expert Panel: 3ie's New Food System Evidence Gap Map Offers a Roadmap of the Field
International Initiative for Impact Evaluation, January 2021
Reports and Tools
The interactive, visual Evidence Gap Map on food systems interventions addresses the broad scope of factors that impact efforts to improve nutrition and point to gaps in research and evaluations.
Exploring the Anemia Ecology: A New Approach to an Old Problem
Raiten, Daniel J., Denish Moorthy, Laura S. Hackl, et al. The Journal of Nutrition, September 2023
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
Research Articles
Authors present a framework for using the biology of anemia alongside methods for assessing prevalence and its causes to develop context-specific interventions.
Exploring the Influence of Social Norms on Complementary Feeding: A Scoping Review of Observational, Intervention, and Effectiveness Studies
Dickin, Katherine L., Kate Litvin, Juliet K McCann, et al. Current Developments in Nutrition, January 2021
Research Articles
Social norms and cultural beliefs can be influential barriers or facilitators for adopting improved complementary feeding (CF) practices, but guidance to address norms and beliefs is limited. Evidence suggests that addressing social norms through effective, multifaceted, and culturally relevant interventions including community engagement and mass media is a feasible and effective component of programs to improve CF practices.
Exploring the Use of the Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Design Guide
Society for International Development Washington Chapter, October 2021
- Food Systems
Events
USAID Advancing Nutrition speakers provide an overview of the Community of Practice and its goals, discuss how it is using the Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Design Guide to facilitate workshops targeting agriculture and economic growth activities that have a nutrition objective, and explain how others can join. This is a webinar.
Facility Readiness and Counseling during Antenatal Care and the Relationship with Early Breastfeeding in Haiti and Malawi
Mallick, Lindsay, Rukundo K. Benedict, Wenjuan Wang. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, May 2020
- Nutrition and Health Systems
Research Articles
While almost all surveyed health facilities in Haiti and Malawi reported that they routinely provided breastfeeding counseling, fewer than 30% of providers reported having recently attended relevant training, and only 4% of patients were observed to have received counseling as part of antenatal care. Training providers on breastfeeding counseling was positively associated with early initiation of breastfeeding.
Facility‐ and Community‐based Delivery of Micronutrient Powders in Uganda: Opening the Black Box of Implementation Using Mixed Methods
D’Agostino, Alexis, Francis Ssebiryo, Hillary Murphy, et al. Maternal & Child Nutrition. Vol. 15, Issue 55, October 17, 2019
- Nutrition and Health Systems
- Social and Behavior Change and Gender
Research Articles
The authors of this study sought to fill a gap in the documentation of lessons learned in micronutrient powder (MNP) implementation programs. To do so, they used a mixed method evaluation to compare community- and facility-based delivery of MNP and document users’ experiences. Their findings rely on qualitative and quantitative evidence to show that community-based delivery resulted in significantly higher adherence to MNP programs. They also analyze barriers to MNP use and provide predictors of adherence to MNP programs.
Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Plans for $11 Billion to End Malnutrition at Global Nutrition Summit
The White House, December 2021
- Knowledge Management
Reports and Tools
This investment will give governments and communities skills and resources to improve health, diets, and nutrition by supporting communities in crisis with emergency food and nutrition assistance. Greater investment will also help build resilient health systems and sustainable food systems to overcome setbacks posed by the pandemic, the global climate crisis, and recurring conflict.
Factors Associated with Child Stunting, Wasting, and Underweight in 35 Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Li, Zhihui, Rockli Kim, Sebastian Vollmer, et al. JAMA Network Open, Vol. 3, No. 4, e203386, April 2020
- Early Childhood Development
- Nutrition and Health Systems
Research Articles
Data from the 2007–2008 Demographic and Health Surveys were used to assess how 26 factors are associated with child stunting, underweight, and wasting. The authors conclude that short maternal height, lack of maternal education, poorest household wealth, low maternal body mass index, and short paternal height were the strongest factors associated with stunting, underweight, and wasting. Thus, they suggest addressing poverty reduction, women’s education, and household nutrition programs in strategies to reduce child undernutrition.
Factors Influencing the Practice of Exclusive Breastfeeding and Other Infant Feeding Practices in the First Six Months of Life in West and Central Africa
Alive & Thrive, February 2022
- Social and Behavior Change and Gender
Reports and Tools
It is important to identify and understand motivations of people who influence infant feeding and care practices as well as factors that facilitate and prevent exclusive breastfeeding when designing interventions. Social and behavior change interventions grounded in this understanding are critical to tailor responses that are respectful, genuine, and acceptable to the families and communities. Increasing health workers’ knowledge, skills, and motivation and identifying ways to overcome challenges are also key strategies.
Factors That Influence Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Behaviors
USAID Advancing Nutrition, March 2020
- Nutrition in Humanitarian Contexts
Reports and Tools
Researchers and implementers can use this tool when designing formative research and social and behavior change activities to improve nutrition outcomes. Barriers and enablers at the structural, social, and internal level must be considered and addressed. This tool can also be used to identify factors to measure to ensure programs are making progress toward optimal nutrition behaviors.
Family Friendly Policies: Redesigning the Workplace of the Future
UNICEF, July 2019
- Early Childhood Development
- Social and Behavior Change and Gender
Reports and Tools
Most workplaces around the world have not yet adopted family-friendly policies. Yet such policies can play an important role in supporting the overall wellbeing of families, helping them excel professionally, financially, academically, and in achieving lifelong health. This policy brief from UNICEF’s Department of Early Childhood Development recommends four specific policies, including one that promotes breastfeeding support and highlights the importance of lifelong nutrition and gender equality.
A Family-Centered Intervention to Monitor Children's Development in a Pediatric Outpatient Setting: Design and Feasibility Testing
Rasheed, Muneera A., Waliyah Mughis, Kinza Naseem Elahi, et al. Frontiers in Health Services, November 2021
- Early Childhood Development
Research Articles
Integrated developmental monitoring requires continued efforts and engagement on the part of both the health care provider and the families. Findings suggest that developmental monitoring with support for families is acceptable to families and trainees and that the intervention demonstrates operational feasibility.
Famine and Food Crises: Urgent and Coordinated Action Needed to Avert Wide-Scale Catastrophe
Global Nutrition Cluster, September 2021
- Nutrition in Humanitarian Contexts
Reports and Tools
Coordinated anticipatory action and rapid response must be multi-sectoral and based on early data sharing, joint analyses, and agreed priorities. Funders should ensure needs-based, predictable, timely, and coherent funding to implement joint plans in targeted areas, while national authorities should invest in a strategic multi-sectoral agenda to build resilience and strengthen early warning and early action systems.
FAO e-Learning Academy: Sustainable Food Value Chains for Nutrition
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, April 2020
- Food Systems
Reports and Tools
This recently released online course on improving nutrition through agriculture and food systems targets implementers and policymakers. It covers the basics of a value chain approach, fundamental entry points and pathways for improving nutrition, and processes for designing activities and interventions. The content is open-access and takes 2–4 hours to complete.
FAO/WHO GIFT | Global Individual Food Consumption Data Tool
FAO and WHO, October 2021
- Food Systems
Reports and Tools
The tool provides food-based indicators focused on nutrition and food safety to support policymakers, program planners, nongovernmental organization staff, and other stakeholders in making informed decisions.
Farm-Level Production Diversity and Child and Adolescent Nutrition in Rural Sub-Saharan Africa: A Multicountry, Longitudinal Study
Khonje, Makaiko G., Jacob Ricker-Gilbert, Milu Muyanga, et al. The Lancet Planetary Health, May 2022
- Food Systems
Research Articles
Further farm-level diversification is not a suitable general strategy to improve child and adolescent nutrition, but it may be useful in some contexts. Livestock production shows some promise for improving child and adolescent nutrition.
Father Involvement and Early Child Development in a Low-Resource Setting
Garcia, Italo Lopez, Lia C. H. Fernald, Frances E. Aboud, et al. Social Sciences & Medicine, June 2022
- Early Childhood Development
Research Articles
Fathers' support of mothers and greater participation in shared household decision-making is positively associated with children's outcomes.
Father Involvement in the Care of Children Born Small and Sick in Rwanda: Association with Children's Nutrition and Development
Oryono, Andrew, Boniface Iraguha, Ancille Musabende, et al. Child: Care, Health and Development, February 2021
Research Articles
Paternal involvement in the care of children in rural Rwanda born preterm, low birth weight and/or with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy is limited. Significant factors associated with father involvement included smaller household size, maternal engagement in decision-making and learning activities, and being on‐track in developmental milestones for problem solving. The number of activities a father engaged in was significantly associated with the child's overall development. This article is behind a paywall.
Fathers' Nutrition Knowledge is Associated with Household's, Women's, and Child's Dietary Diversity in the Agriculture to Nutrition Study in Ethiopia
ATONU, May 2019
- Nutrition and Health Systems
- Social and Behavior Change and Gender
Reports and Tools
Conducted by the Agriculture to Nutrition (ATONU) project, this cluster randomized control trial examines associations between paternal and maternal nutritional knowledge on household, child, and maternal dietary diversity. Researchers conclude that interventions that engage fathers can improve women’s empowerment and household nutrition.
Fathers’ Complementary Feeding Support Strengthens the Association Between Mothers’ Decision-Making Autonomy and Optimal Complementary Feeding in Nigeria
Allotey, Diana, Valerie L. Flax, Abiodun Ipadeola, et al. Current Developments in Nutrition, June 2022
- Social and Behavior Change and Gender
Research Articles
High levels of fathers’ support in Nigeria strengthened the association between mothers’ decision-making autonomy and minimum meal frequency, minimum acceptable diet, and feeding children fish.
Fathers’ Experiences and Perspectives of Breastfeeding: A Scoping Review
Sihota, Harvinder, John Oliffe, Mary T. Kelly, Fairleth McCuaig. American Journal of Men’s Health. May 2019.
- Social and Behavior Change and Gender
Research Articles
The researchers conducted a scoping review across 18 international studies to determine the experiences, roles, and needs of fathers of breastfed infants and how health care providers can use this knowledge to assist, support, and engage fathers. Examining studies that involved fathers in the United Kingdom, North America, Australia, Pakistan, Jordan, and Taiwan, the review found that fathers of children who are breastfed may feel excluded, inadequate, and helpless. To help these fathers, antenatal support and education should be tailored their needs, experiences, and perceptions. Fathers must be recognized as “fundamental members of the breastfeeding triad” and be engaged from the beginning to promote long-term involvement in their children’s nutrition.
Fed to Fail? The Crisis of Children’s Diets in Early Life
UNICEF, September 2021
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
Reports and Tools
Policies and programs to improve young children’s diets are not prioritized and are being further eroded by the coronavirus pandemic. UNICEF calls on governments and partners to work collectively to transform food, health, and social protection systems. The report is available in Arabic, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian.
Feeding and Disability Resource Bank
USAID Advancing Nutrition, October 2022
- Early Childhood Development
Reports and Tools
Resource Bank materials help nutrition and disability program managers, government leaders, and donor agency staff design and implement effective nutrition programs for children with disabilities. Information focuses on identifying and managing feeding difficulties, identifying disabilities, supporting children with disabilities and their families, and promoting disability inclusion.