Planning & Design

Strengthening health services to deliver nutrition education to promote complementary feeding and healthy growth of infants and young children: formative research for a successful intervention in peri-urban Trujillo, Peru. Formative research is critical for developing effective nutrition-specific interventions to improve infant and young child (IYC) feedin g practices and promote healthy growth. Health workers interact […]

The research and implementation continuum of biofortified sweet potato and maize in Africa. The enhancement of sweet potato and maize with provitamin A carotenoids has been part of HarvestPlus’s research continuum since the formation of the biofortification project. This review includes case studies of biofortification strategies used for sweet potato in Uganda and orange maize […]

A rapid assessment and response approach for socially marketed nutrition commodities in Viet Nam. BACKGROUND: The leading cause of death in children in developing countries is protein-energy malnutrition. In Viet Nam, 25.9% of children under 5 experience stunted growth and 6.6% are moderately wasted. Iron deficiency anaemia and vitamin A deficiency contribute to these and […]

Patterns and determinants of small-quantity LNS utilization in rural Malawi and Mozambique: considerations for interventions with specialized nutritious foods. Small-quantity, lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) show promise to improve the quality of maternal and child diets, particularly during the first 1000 days of life. The potential of SQ-LNS to impact positively upon nutritional status relies on […]

Planning and Budgeting for Nutrition Programs in Tanzania: Lessons Learned From the National Vitamin A Supplementation Program. BACKGROUND: Micronutrient deficiency in Tanzania is a significant public health problem, with vitamin A deficiency (VAD) affecting 34% of children aged 6 to 59 months. Since 2007, development partners have worked closely to advocate for the inclusion of […]

DEWORMING DELUSIONS? MASS DRUG ADMINISTRATION IN EAST AFRICAN SCHOOLS. Recent debates about deworming school-aged children in East Africa have been described as the ‘Worm Wars’. The stakes are high. Deworming has become one of the top priorities in the fight against infectious diseases. Staff at the World Health Organization, the Gates Foundation and the World […]

Community perceptions of behaviour change communication interventions of the maternal neonatal and child health programme in rural Bangladesh: an exploratory study. BACKGROUND: This qualitative study explored community perceptions of the components of the behaviour change communication (BCC) intervention of the BRAC Improving Maternal, Neonatal and Child Survival (IMNCS) programme in rural Bangladesh. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews, […]

Maximizing the benefits and minimizing the risks of intervention programs to address micronutrient malnutrition: symposium report Interventions to address micronutrient deficiencies have large potential to reduce the related disease and economic burden. However, the potential risks of excessive micronutrient intakes are often not well determined. During the Global Summit on Food Fortification, 9-11 September 2015, […]

A formative study to inform mHealth based randomized controlled trial intervention to promote exclusive breastfeeding practices in Myanmar: incorporating qualitative study findings. BACKGROUND: Undernutrition is a major concern for Myanmar children with low exclusive breastfeeding rate (24%). A formative study was conducted to explore the perceptions and practices relating to exclusive breastfeeding, and barriers and […]

Public and Private Sector Dynamics in Scaling Up Rice Fortification: The Colombian Experience and its Lessons. BACKGROUND: Fortification of cereal grains with at least iron or folic acid is legislated in 85 countries worldwide. Relative to wheat and maize flour, rice fortification is relatively new and provides an opportunity to deliver essential micronutrients to populations that […]