USAID Advancing Nutrition develops, curates, packages, and shares multi-sectoral nutrition knowledge to help you stay on top of developments and evidence in global nutrition programming.
The Impact of Food Insecurity on Women and Girls: Research from Pibor and Akobo Counties, Jonglei State, South Sudan
Publication Date:
Nutrition in Humanitarian ContextsWastingAdolescent NutritionCOVID-19Emergency NutritionFood SecurityGenderMaternal NutritionWater, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
Acute food insecurity has impacted women and girls in many ways. Collecting firewood to sell has increased the risk of gender-based violence and robbery, while girls’ school attendance has decreased due to increased workload and more forced and early marriages. Women have lost significant control of productive resources and household decision-making.
Food Distributions in Myanmar: Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Coup d’État
Publication Date:
Nutrition in Humanitarian ContextsComplementary FeedingCOVID-19Emergency NutritionFood SecurityInfant and Young Child Nutrition (IYCN)Maternal NutritionMicronutrient InterventionsWater, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
Working with communities to identify the lowest cost, most nutrient-dense, and culturally acceptable foods will ensure more successful food distribution.
How AI Is Transforming Maternal Health Care in Vietnam
Publication Date:
Knowledge ManagementNutrition and Health SystemsAdolescent NutritionAnemiaBehavior Change for NutritionBreastfeedingCOVID-19GenderInfant and Young Child Nutrition (IYCN)Maternal NutritionNutrition Assessment, Counseling, and Support (NACS)
The Momby app is a virtual assistant that provides nutritional advice and education on fetal development, bonding practices, essential newborn care, and breastfeeding. Users can make health care appointments and ask questions in real time. The app also features a version for fathers.
Iron, Folic Acid, and Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation Strategies during Pregnancy and Adverse Birth Outcomes in Botswana
Publication Date:
Monitoring, Evaluation, and LearningAnemiaMaternal NutritionMicronutrient Interventions
Researchers tested four supplementation strategies and found that women who used multiple micronutrient supplementation had lower risk of preterm and very preterm births and low and very low birthweight when compared with other supplementation protocols.
Making the Most of Existing Research: An Evidence Gap Map of the Effects of Food Systems Interventions in Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries
Publication Date:
Food SystemsAnemiaFood SecurityFood SystemsGenderMaternal NutritionMicronutrient InterventionsNutrition Assessment, Counseling, and Support (NACS)Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture
The most common interventions to address malnutrition included providing supplements, fortification, food, nutrition classes, and peer support and counseling. Anthropometry, micronutrient status, and diet quality and adequacy were the most common outcomes.
Evaluation of Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation and Medium-Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplementation in Pregnancy on Child Development in Rural Niger: A Secondary Analysis of a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
Publication Date:
Nutrition in Humanitarian ContextsMaternal NutritionMicronutrient Interventions
Prenatal macronutrient and micronutrient supplementation provided no benefit for child development outcomes when compared with iron-folic acid supplementation. Prenatal lipid-based nutrient supplements had a positive effect on cognitive development trajectory and time to achieve selected gross motor milestones.
Innovative New App Launched to Train, Support, and Motivate Frontline Nutrition Workers in Gujarat State, India
Publication Date:
Adolescent NutritionAnemiaBreastfeedingInfant and Young Child Nutrition (IYCN)Maternal NutritionNutrition Assessment, Counseling, and Support (NACS)
The app provides frontline health workers with real-time support to problem-solve, get answers to questions, and participate in trainings. The platform collects feedback on service quality and provides anonymous feedback about supervision. The app collates and analyzes data, which helps government officials monitor program quality and identify performance gaps.
Optimising Child and Adolescent Health and Development
Publication Date:
Early Childhood DevelopmentAdolescent NutritionMaternal Nutrition
Evidence supports a holistic agenda for child health spanning sexual, reproductive, maternal, childhood, and adolescent health; nutrition; and development. This series shows the importance of greater integration and implementation of evidence-based interventions across health, education, and social systems, as well as breaking down sectoral siloes.
Sustainable and Resilient Indigenous Peoples' Food Systems for Improved Nutrition: Digital Toolbox
Publication Date:
Knowledge ManagementMaternal Nutrition
The toolbox and participatory videos provide guidelines to design, implement, monitor, and supervise projects to improve Indigenous Peoples’ diets and nutrition, particularly by leveraging local food biodiversity. Materials are available in English, French, and Spanish.
Strengthening Nutrition Interventions in Antenatal Care Services Improved Consumption of Iron-Folic Acid Supplements and Early Breastfeeding Practices in Burkina Faso
Publication Date:
Social and Behavior Change and GenderBreastfeedingCOVID-19Maternal NutritionMicronutrient Interventions
Strengthening maternal nutrition interventions delivered through government antenatal care services is effective for improving maternal nutrition practices. Continued efforts to strengthen services may be needed for greater behavior change and to address family support, social norms, and other factors that impact maternal diet.
Process of Developing Models of Maternal Nutrition Interventions Integrated into Antenatal Care Services in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and India
Publication Date:
Nutrition and Health SystemsBreastfeedingMaternal NutritionMicronutrient InterventionsNutrition Assessment, Counseling, and Support (NACS)
Strategic use of data can contextualize nutrition guidelines, protocols, capacity strengthening, and supervision approaches and improve micronutrient supply chains and record-keeping and strengthen health services.
Data for Infant and Young Child Feeding and Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women: Understanding New Guidelines, Evidence, and Survey Tools Webinar
Publication Date:
Monitoring, Evaluation, and LearningInfant and Young Child Nutrition (IYCN)Maternal Nutrition
Presenters share new global guidance on indicators, their experience with developing and using updated guidelines, pilot results from using these indicators, and country-specific adaptations of questions. This is a webinar.
Monitoring, Evaluation, and LearningInfant and Young Child Nutrition (IYCN)Maternal Nutrition
The tool helps practitioners better understand dietary patterns and nutrient intake, which are critical to designing, monitoring, and evaluating efforts to improve diets. Diet assessments and related interventions should focus on children 6–23 months of age and pregnant women, as evidence shows these groups are vulnerable to malnutrition.
This webpage details the success of the Nutrition Leverage and Influence for Transformation program in integrating nutrition counseling into sexual and reproductive health programs to increase the knowledge and awareness of iron-folic acid supplementation and healthy diet among adolescent girls, women of reproductive age, and healthcare workers in Senegal.
Case Study on Adolescent Inclusion in the Care Group Approach—The Nigeria Experience
Publication Date:
Adolescent NutritionMaternal Nutrition
This article documents the experiences of adolescent girls in selected towns in Northern Nigeria participating in care groups of 10–15 trained volunteer community-based health educators. Their experiences were captured through focus group discussions and key informant interviews.
Partnering with UNFPA to Reduce Anaemia among Women and Adolescent Girls in Nigeria
Publication Date:
Adolescent NutritionAnemiaMaternal Nutrition
This webpage details the success of the Nutrition Leverage and Influence for Transformation program in integrating nutrition counseling into sexual and reproductive health programs to increase the knowledge and awareness of iron-folic acid supplementation and healthy diet among adolescent girls, women of reproductive age, and healthcare workers in Nigeria.
Women's Nutrition: A Summary of Evidence, Policy, and Practice including Adolescent and Maternal Life Stages
Publication Date:
WastingAdolescent NutritionMaternal Nutrition
The report reviews the current guidelines addressing global targets for reducing maternal mortality and anemia in girls and women of reproductive age and addressing the nutritional needs of pregnant and lactating women and adolescent girls. It idenitifies gaps in achieving these targets and provides recommendations for ways to improve related indicators on women and adolescent girls.
Opportunities to Strengthen Maternal Nutrition Programs within Health Systems — Operational Guidance and Country Perspectives
Publication Date:
Nutrition and Health SystemsMaternal Nutrition
Presenters present practical guidance for designing, implementing, and strengthening the delivery of maternal nutrition interventions during pregnancy and lactation, and successes, challenges, and priorities for strengthening interventions at the country level. This is a webinar with accompanying materials.
Weight Gain during Pregnancy in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Publication Date:
Nutrition and Health SystemsMaternal Nutrition
The report prevents prevalence data and highlights the need to prioritize inadequate weight gain. It presents current data about monitoring and counseling interventions, discusses the impact of maternal balanced energy and protein supplementation on weight gain, and provides recommendations to strengthen interventions.