Priority Micronutrient Density in Foods
Beal Ty, Flaminla Ortenzi. Frontiers in Nutrition, March 2022
- Food Systems
Research Articles
Top sources of priority micronutrients include organs, small fish, dark green leafy vegetables, bivalves, crustaceans, goat, beef, eggs, milk, canned fish with bones, mutton, and lamb. Cheese, goat milk, and pork are also good sources, followed by yogurt, fresh fish, pulses, teff, and canned fish without bones.
Priority Setting in Early Childhood Development: An Analytical Framework for Economic Evaluation of Interventions
Verguet, Stéphane, Sarah Bolongaita, Anthony Morgan, et al. BMJ Global Health, June 2022
- Early Childhood Development
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
Research Articles
As more programs promote early child development, this paper presents a unified analytical framework for assessing impact and highlights the range of costs and cost-effectiveness of currently available intervention strategies.
Private Sector in Agricultural Innovation and Development Community of Practice
Capacity4dev.edu, June 2019
- Knowledge Management
Reports and Tools
This community of practice, launched in June 2019, showcases examples of and approaches to working with the private sector in international agricultural innovation. Members can discuss topics such as agriculture and rural development, food and nutrition security, and private sector development, and learn about upcoming events. The community is open to the public, but to join the group, potential members must have a Capacity4dev account.
Process of Developing Models of Maternal Nutrition Interventions Integrated into Antenatal Care Services in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and India
Sanghvi, Tina, Phuong Hong Nguyen, Sebanti Ghosh, et al. Maternal and Child Nutrition, June 2022
- Nutrition and Health Systems
Research Articles
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. Engaging family and community members to support pregnant women and improving women’s knowledge and self-confidence are important elements of country programs working to improve maternal and newborn health and nutrition.
The Processed Food Revolution in African Food Systems and the Double Burden of Malnutrition
Reardon, Thomas, David Tschirley, Lenis Saweda O. Liverpool-Tasie, et al. Global Food Security, December 2020
Research Articles
Consumption of processed food and food prepared away from home is increasing and while this trend improves access to healthy processed food and is a significant source of jobs for women, it is also linked to rising obesity rates. Policy development should focus on healthy weaning foods to address stunting, taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, and nutrition labeling.
Program Guidance Engaging Family Members in Improving Maternal and Child Nutrition
USAID Advancing Nutrition, September 2020
- Social and Behavior Change and Gender
Reports and Tools
Due to their influence on decision-making, there is a strong case for engaging fathers, grandparents, and other key family members in maternal and child nutrition programs. Their involvement increases awareness of recommended practices and can increase supportive attitudes and behaviors including exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices.
Program in International Nutrition (PIN) Podcast with Shawn Baker
Program in International Nutrition, Cornell University, May 2021
Events
Shawn Baker, Chief Nutritionist at USAID, talks about his career trajectory and shares advice for students and young professionals in public health nutrition. This is a podcast.
Program in International Nutrition (PIN) Podcast with Shawn Baker and Saurabh Mehta
Program in International Nutrition, Cornell University, May 2021
Events
Shawn Baker, Chief Nutritionist at USAID, discusses financing for improved nutrition, maternal and child health, and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on global health. This is a podcast.
Programme Guidance on Maternal Nutrition
UNICEF, January 2022
- Nutrition and Health Systems
Reports and Tools
UNICEF provides country teams and their partners with guidance on designing, implementing, and monitoring evidence-based programs to improve women’s nutrition across the life course. It emphasizes the critical role of food, health, water and sanitation, education, social protection, essential nutrition services, and good nutrition practices in all contexts, and describes approaches to strengthen counseling.
Programming to Improve Adolescent Nutrition Is Essential—and These Resources Can Help
USAID Advancing Nutrition, August 2022
- Knowledge Management
Reports and Tools
The Adolescent Nutrition Resource Bank provides hundreds of policies, program examples, guidance, and tools to help stakeholders design, improve, and expand programs and services. Research to determine how to design effective programs and materials should disaggregate by residence, education, wealth, agency, access to food, culture, and physiological status.
Progress in Reducing Child Mortality and Stunting in India: An Application of the Lives Saved Tool
Alderman, Harold, Phuong Hong Nguyen, Purnima Menon. Health Policy and Planning Journal, Vol. 34, Issue 9, November 2019
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
Research Articles
The Lives Saved Tool (LiST) enables policymakers and technical stakeholders to estimate the impact of scaling up intervention coverage on undernutrition and mortality. This study used LiST to model the impact of scaling up programs in India between 2006 and 2016 and subsequently compared them to the observed impact during the same time period. Although estimates from the use of the LiST tool were close to actual values observed, there remain challenges with the tool itself and its applications.
Progress of the World’s Women 2019-2020. Families in a Changing World
UN Women, May 2019
- Early Childhood Development
- Food Systems
Reports and Tools
As this landmark report points out, families can be, “places of love, care, and fulfillment but, too often, they are also spaces where women’s and girls’ rights are violated, their voices are stifled, and where gender inequality prevails.” To counter this reality, the report proposes affordable family-friendly policies to advance gender equality in a way that helps countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, including those related to nutrition, health, and early childhood development.
Project Year 4 Summary: Priorities and Key Accomplishments
USAID Advancing Nutrition, January 2023
- Knowledge Management
Reports and Tools
USAID Advancing Nutrition partnered with governments and local stakeholders to build strong programming foundations and to facilitate, coordinate, and track progress to achieve and sustain national nutrition objectives. The project engaged in capacity strengthening, facilitated consultations to translate policy into action, and delivered program design workshops to reduce malnutrition globally.
Projecting the Impact of Nutrition Policy to Improve Child Stunting: A Case Study in Guatemala Using the Lives Saved Tool
Tschida, Scott, Ana Cordon, Gabriela Asturias, et al. Global Health: Science and Practice, October 2021
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
Research Articles
Results point to the need for strategies that address social determinants impacting stunting rather than a more narrow focus on nutrition-specific interventions. Addressing structural drivers of stunting requires multi-sectoral nutrition and social policies.
Promoting a Continuum of Care for Wasted Children: Lessons Learned from Democratic Republic of Congo Webinar
USAID Advancing Nutrition, June 2023
- Nutrition in Humanitarian Contexts
Events
Speakers shared learning on coordination and collaboration with the aim of strengthening the continuum of care for the treatment and prevention of wasting in children under five and the ready-to-use therapeutic food supply chain. This is a webinar. It is available in English and French.
Promoting Child Growth and Development in the Sustainable Development Goals Era: Is It Time for New Thinking?
Bégin, France, Leslie Elder, Marcia Griffiths, et al. The Journal of Nutrition, Vol. 150, Issue 2, p. 192–194, February 2020
- Early Childhood Development
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
Research Articles
The authors argue that growth monitoring and promotion programs are needed for routine preventive child health care, but require a paradigm shift to contextualize programs and optimize their implementation for scalability. Based on two literature reviews and global empirical and experiential evidence, authors address five critical areas for redeveloping programs to emphasize the promotion of child growth and development.
Promoting Childhood Development Globally Through Caregiving Interventions
Black, Maureen M., Susan P. Walker, Orazio Attanasio, et al. Pediatrics, May 2023
- Early Childhood Development
Reports and Tools
This collection of papers examines program quality, including interventions for children in crisis and conflict settings, parenting to impact child development and reduce violence and maternal depression, integrating early childhood interventions with other services, delivering services remotely, scaling programs, and partnering with government agencies. Several papers discuss the Reach Up program.
Promoting Nutrition-Sensitive Innovation across the Food System: Introduction to the Work of the New Food Systems for Nutrition Innovation Lab
Feed the Future, April 2022
- Food Systems
Events
Speakers discuss the Innovation Lab’s research and capacity strengthening agenda and how it plans to support the broader objectives of USAID and the Feed the Future initiative. This is a webinar.
Promoting and Supporting Breastfeeding in a Protracted Emergency Setting—Caregivers' and Health Workers' Perceptions from North-East Nigeria
Camacho, Nieves Amat, Abdullahi Chara, Emily Briskin, et al. Frontiers in Public Health, June 2023
- Nutrition in Humanitarian Contexts
Research Articles
Household and contextual factors strongly influenced the practice, promotion, and support of breastfeeding in North-East Nigeria. Breastfeeding promotion and support were well received and contributed to improved practices, but would be more effective if tailored to address specific barriers to exclusive breastfeeding. Providing greater support and follow-up for infants under six months and their caregivers is critical.
Proposal of a Quality of Care Index (QOCI)
Mallick, Lindsay, Rukundo K. Benedict, Courtney Allen, et al. The Demographic and Health Surveys Program, August 2020
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
Research Articles
The international community lacks consensus around key indicators or summary measures to capture effective, high-quality care to reduce maternal and child death. The Quality of Care Index (QOCI) consists of 17 indicators related to family planning, antenatal care, delivery care, immunization, child curative care, and WASH. It provides insights into subnational regions and health service areas that most need quality of care interventions. Future research should consider additional indicators, including indicators that capture client experience.
Protecting Nature's Perfect Food System
Dreibelbis, Carol, Blythe Thomas, and Sandy Remancus, Devex, March 2021
- Food Systems
Reports and Tools
In addition to women’s time, energy, capacity, and skill, breastfeeding requires family, health facility, community, employer, and policy support. Sociocultural factors, health care practices and policies, paid leave policies and legislation, a lack of skilled support, and aggressive marketing of breast milk substitutes all impact likelihood of breastfeeding. Greater investments to address these deficiencies will increase economic productivity and reduce health care costs.
Protecting, Promoting and Supporting Breastfeeding amid COVID-19
1,000 Days, May 2020
- Knowledge Management
Events
In this webinar, Dr. Larry Grummer-Strawn from the World Health Organization stresses that women with suspected COVID-19 symptoms can continue to breastfeed according to standard feeding guidelines but must practice proper respiratory and hand hygiene.
Protecting, Promoting and Supporting Breastfeeding: The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative for Small, Sick and Preterm Newborns
World Health Organization, The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), August 2020
- Nutrition and Health Systems
Reports and Tools
Poor planning for breastfeeding, inconsistent advice, misinformation, lack of knowledge or time, and facility policies impact breastfeeding small, sick, and preterm infants. The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative recommends 10 steps to improve breastfeeding in this specific population, including using cup or tube feedings rather than bottles and teats until breastfeeding is possible, and comprehensive discharge planning.
Protocol for Comparative Evaluation of Blood Sampling Methods and Analytical Devices in the Measurement of Hemoglobin in Population Surveys—A Laboratory Study
USAID Advancing Nutrition, March 2020
- Knowledge Management
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
Reports and Tools
Because anemia is diagnosed by measuring hemoglobin concentration in blood, there is an urgent need to make a systematic comparison of hemoglobin concentrations using different types of blood samples from the same individuals and analyzed using different instruments. USAID Advancing Nutrition is seeking public comments on a protocol that will guide future grant awards to organizations or individuals who would like to conduct or fund primary studies to assess the variability in measurement of hemoglobin concentration. This public comment period allows interested groups or firms to contribute to the revision of the protocol and prepare to apply for the upcoming grants.