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.
Monitoring, Evaluation, and LearningNutrition and Health SystemsSocial and Behavior Change and Gender
The Social Norms Exploration Tool, also referred to as SNET, is a learning and action tool that helps programs understand a community’s social norms by conducting a social norms exploration.
Social Determinants of Health: Roles of Structure and Agency
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Early Childhood DevelopmentNutrition and Health SystemsSocial and Behavior Change and Gender
This presentation by Dr. Carol Underwood of Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs provides a look into the social determinants of health, ranging from economic opportunity to crime rates, and what affects change in those determinants. Dr.
Sick Child Feeding Practice and Associated Factors Among Mothers of Children Less Than 24 Months Old, in Burayu Town, Ethiopia
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Nutrition and Health SystemsSocial and Behavior Change and GenderBreastfeedingInfant and Young Child Nutrition (IYCN)
It is important to optimize infant and young child feeding (IYCF), especially in the first 2 years of life, if a child is to develop to his or her full potential. Researchers conducted this study to assess IYCF practices among mothers with children under 24 months of age in Burayu Town, Ethiopia.
Different Combinations of Behavior Change Interventions and Frequencies of Interpersonal Contacts Are Associated with Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Vietnam
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Nutrition and Health SystemsSocial and Behavior Change and GenderBreastfeedingInfant and Young Child Nutrition (IYCN)
This study examined endline survey data from intervention evaluations in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Vietnam to assess how different combinations of social and behavior change communication interventions and varying levels of exposure to the interventions affected infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices.
Prevention of Child Wasting: Results of a Child Health & Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) Prioritisation Exercise
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Nutrition in Humanitarian ContextsWasting
With nearly 50 million children under 5 years of age wasted, more research is needed on effective interventions. To help identify and prioritize the most important outstanding research questions in this area, the authors conducted a research prioritization exercise using the “Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative” method.
Potential Consequences of Expanded MUAC-Only Programs on Targeting of Acutely Malnourished Children and Ready-to-use-Therapeutic-Food Allocation: Lessons from Cross-Sectional Surveys
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Nutrition in Humanitarian ContextsWasting
The “expanded MUAC-only” approach is being used in acute malnutrition programming, with a mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) of <125mm as the only measurement for screening and admission for treatment. This study explored the impact of the approach on eligibility for treatment and access to ready-to-use therapeutic foods.
Body Composition During Outpatient Treatment of Severe Acute Malnutrition: Results from a Randomised Trial Testing Different Doses of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods
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Nutrition in Humanitarian ContextsWasting
Ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF), dosed by body weight, are the basis of treatment for uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition. Weight gain is the main way to monitor the effectiveness of such therapies. Previous reporting claimed that a lower-than-recommended dose of RUTF led to no less weight gain than the standard dose.
Case Study from Colombia: Maximizing Impact on Children through Integrated Cash-Based Programming
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Nutrition in Humanitarian ContextsFood Security
In 2018, Save the Children, with support from USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance and the Office of Food for Peace, implemented a multi-purpose cash transfer “Plus” program in Colombia. The program was designed in response to the influx of Venezuelans into Colombia due to political and economic unrest.
2019 Short Rains in East Africa Among the Wettest on Historical Record
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Nutrition in Humanitarian ContextsFood Security
FEWS NET experts released a special report to document the wettest rainfall season in 40 years in East Africa, from October-December of 2019. The impacts of this monumental rain season on food security are profound and have left 18-22 million people facing crisis outcomes in the region (Integrated Phase Classification 3 or higher). Climate shocks have led to challenges to resilience.
A Systematic Review of Costing Studies for Implementing and Scaling-Up Breastfeeding Interventions: What Do We Know and What Are the Gaps?
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Nutrition and Health SystemsBreastfeeding
Despite the positive impact breastfeeding has on maternal and child health during infancy and beyond, exclusive breastfeeding is still underutilized. This review examines the costs of implementing and scaling-up breastfeeding interventions at multiple levels and the barriers to intervening in low-, middle- and high-income countries.
The Impact of Maternal Supplementation During Pregnancy and the First 6 Months Postpartum on the Growth Status of the Next Child Born After the Intervention Period: Follow‐Up Results from Bangladesh and Ghana
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Nutrition and Health SystemsMaternal NutritionMicronutrient Interventions
Pregnancy and breastfeeding lower a mother’s nutrient stores, potentially affecting her nutritional status upon conceiving another child.
How Can We Realise the Full Potential of Health Systems for Nutrition?
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Nutrition and Health SystemsBreastfeedingMicronutrient InterventionsMaternal Nutrition
Although the movement to eradicate malnutrition has been gaining momentum, countries are still struggling to achieve their nutrition goals. This article emphasizes the important role health systems play in nutrition intervention and examines how they are, or are not, reaching critical groups.
Effects of Preventive Nutrition Interventions among Adolescents on Health and Nutritional Status in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
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Nutrition and Health SystemsAdolescent NutritionMicronutrient Interventions
This article summarizes findings from 10 studies to assess the impact of preventative nutrition interventions on the health and nutrition of 10-19 year-olds in low- and middle-income countries.
Maternal Depression: The Potential Role of Nutrition in Prevention and Treatment
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Early Childhood DevelopmentNutrition and Health SystemsMicronutrient InterventionsMaternal Nutrition
Maternal depression can have a great impact on the health and development of both a mother and her child during pregnancy and for up to a year postpartum. This brief explores the risk factors that can lead to maternal depression, focusing heavily on the potential role specific nutrients play in supporting a mother’s mental health and the fetus’ development.
Improving Young Children’s Diets During the Complementary Feeding Period
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Monitoring, Evaluation, and LearningNutrition and Health SystemsInfant and Young Child Nutrition (IYCN)
The complementary feeding period from 6 to 23 months of age is important for promoting physical and cognitive development, the effects of which will last into adulthood. This UNICEF guidance not only provides information on the benefits of and steps for complementary feeding, but also recognizes the difficulties many face in providing nutritious and sustainable diets for young children.
Breastfeeding and Prevention of Overweight in Children
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Early Childhood DevelopmentNutrition and Health SystemsBreastfeedingEconomic Growth
Breastfeeding gives a baby a healthy start in life that extends into adulthood and can even impact nations as a whole. This advocacy brief describes the various benefits of breastfeeding, focusing on the reduction of childhood overweight risk and obesity that can extend into adulthood.
The Do's and Don'ts in Monitoring Salt Iodization and Iodine Status: Guidance on the Monitoring of Salt Iodization Programmes and Determination of Population Iodine Status
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Monitoring, Evaluation, and LearningMicronutrient Interventions
Representatives from the Iodine Global Network and UNICEF presented on the Guidance on Monitoring Salt Iodization Programmes and Iodine Status issued in 2018.
Data4Diets: Building Blocks for Diet-Related Food Security Analysis
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Knowledge ManagementMonitoring, Evaluation, and LearningNutrition Assessment, Counseling, and Support (NACS)
The new Data4Diets platform is a multi-dimensional tool that can help program implementers, policymakers, and researchers measure food safety through the use of various indicators and data sources. This webinar explained the functionality of the Data4Diets platform and it’s organizing framework. Presenters demonstrated how to use the platform’s online tools.
Conceptualizing Sustainable Diets in Vietnam: Minimum Metrics and Potential Leverage Points
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Food SystemsMonitoring, Evaluation, and LearningFood Safety
Addressing the need for clearly defined and agreed upon intervention points that can effectively enhance diet sustainability in low- and middle-income countries, the authors of this paper worked to develop a conceptual framework for sustainable diets in Vietnam.
Biases in Self-Reported Food Insecurity Measurement: A List Experiment Approach
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Food SystemsMonitoring, Evaluation, and LearningFood Security
Challenges surrounding the impact evaluations of food security programs include issues with both objective and subjective measurements. Exploring the role of bias, researchers compared direct responses to food insecurity questions to indirect responses using a list experiment approach.