Over the past several months, DataDENT has been facilitating the launch of the Data for Nutrition (DfN) Community of Practice. DfN provides community members with opportunities to share knowledge, experience, evidence, and questions related to how we can strengthen the nutrition data value chain at all levels—global, regional, national, sub-national, institutional. Currently in a soft launch phase, DfN hosted its…
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2019 DataDENT Highlights
2019 was an exciting year for DataDENT with milestones addressing challenges across the nutrition data value chain. Here we revisit our work highlighted through our top blog posts from this past year and look ahead at what is to come in 2020. New Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) nutrition data The DHS Program accepted recommendations for changes to the core…
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The Case of the Missing Data
The Global Nutrition Report (GNR) is one of the most widely used sources of nutrition data. The GNR reports on progress against global nutrition targets in 194 countries. In October 2019, GNR launched updated Country Nutrition Profiles. Global Nutrition Report – Country Nutrition Profiles 2019 The GNR reports “on course,” “off course,” and “no data” status for countries on ten…
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Overview of new nutrition questions in the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) core questionnaires
The Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) Program just released the new DHS model questionnaires for round 8 (2018-2023). We previously shared on the blog how DHS and the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) are main sources of nationally-representative maternal, newborn, child health, and nutrition data. The four DHS core questionnaires (household, woman, man, and biomarker) will be used globally, and…
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How can we better support countries to build and maintain nutrition data and information systems?
The first Global Nutrition Report (GNR) in 2014 called for a “data revolution” in nutrition, recognizing that data investments are needed to enable countries to design and implement effective policies and programs, mobilize resources, and monitor progress. While some progress has since been made to improve nutrition data, current efforts are still insufficient. The 2020 Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit…
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Overview of WHO’s Essential nutrition actions: mainstreaming nutrition through the life-course
This week at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), UN Member States adopted a landmark declaration on universal health coverage (UHC). Improving integration of nutrition interventions within health services is a key component of UHC and tackling malnutrition across all life stages. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines UHC as all people and populations having access to primary health care…
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The power of the spotlight: Data in global nutrition advocacy
In the past decade, the availability and use of data have shed light on the importance of addressing malnutrition to improve human health and well-being. At the same time, high profile advocacy events have pushed the nutrition profile even further. Hand-in-hand, data and advocacy have increased the attention, policies and resources directed towards improving nutrition. The year 2012 was…
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Similar but not the same: The challenge of comparing indicators across nutrition data tools
Nursing mothers wait outside the antenatal unit at Orolodo primary health centre before the start of a family planning visibility parade in Omuaran township in Nigeria’s central state of Kwara. © 2012 Akintunde Akinleye/NURHI, Courtesy of Photoshare High-quality nutrition data is critical for country stakeholders, advocates, funders, and many others to assess needs, measure progress, and ultimately make decisions to…
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Updated guidance on measuring fortification coverage
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) has released new guidance on measuring coverage of food fortification. The Fortification Assessment Coverage Toolkit (FACT) provides standardized tools to collect, analyze and synthesize data on quality, coverage, and consumption of fortified foods in different countries and contexts. FACT also provides guidance on survey design and use in evaluation contexts. GAIN Briefing Paper…
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India Nutrition Data Bonanza
IFPRI’s Purnima Menon shares elements of the proposed nutrition monitoring framework for India In order to support India’s robust policy framework for nutrition, it is imperative that the nutrition community converge on measurement metrics and programmatic actions. On May 1, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (“Gates Foundation”) co-hosted the India Nutrition Data Bonanza in…