“Nutrition needs a data revolution” – Global Nutrition Report, 2014 Is Artificial Intelligence (AI) the long-awaited answer to the call for a nutrition data revolution? AI is transforming the ways we can collect, collate, analyze, translate and use data. However, there are limitations to how we should leverage AI if our goal is to build strong and impactful nutrition…
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What knowledge and skills support better use of nutrition data?
We previously reported hearing the following question from our national partners: How do we strengthen capacity to use nutrition data? To help answer this question, DataDENT is taking a critical look at the knowledge and skills underpinning this capacity at the national level. We are asking stakeholders from across nutrition: What knowledge and skills around nutrition data use are needed…
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Bringing a human-centered approach to strengthening nutrition data value chains
Questions that DataDENT regularly hears from our national partners include “how do we strengthen capacity to use data?” and “how do we improve data quality?” DataDENT’s answer to each of these questions is to start with understanding the desires, needs, and challenges of the people engaged in National Nutrition Information Systems – including data users and data producers. DataDENT brings…
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Who is being reached by nutrition-sensitive social protection programs? Advancing methods for measuring NSSP coverage using household surveys
Nutrition-sensitive social protection (NSSP) refers to a subset of social protection poverty alleviation programs that include targeting approaches, interventions, and conditions to address the underlying determinants of malnutrition (Ruel 2013). Design features that can enhance nutritional impacts of social protection programs include targeting of transfers to nutritionally vulnerable populations, providing fortified or nutritious foods, behavior change communication (BCC) interventions, establishing…
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How many tablets did you take during pregnancy? Addressing the challenges of maternal micronutrient coverage measurement
To improve birth outcomes and other aspects of maternal and child health and wellbeing, WHO guidance on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience, released in 2016 and updated in 2020, recommends micronutrient interventions including, iron and folic acid (IFA), multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS), calcium as well as balanced energy protein (BEP) for general or context-specific delivery. National and global…
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Beyond Borders: Insights from challenges in collecting nutrition data from United States household surveys
Low, middle, and high-income countries (LMIC) face similar challenges when collecting population-level data to inform nutrition policies & programs. Earlier this year, the American Society of Nutrition’s (ASN) Committee on Advocacy and Science Policy published a white paper highlighting the challenges facing the National Health Examination & Nutrition Survey (NHANES) in the United States. Like the Demographic and Health Surveys…
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Why harmonization of food security measurement in phone surveys is needed: Lessons from India
Background Food security is essential for a healthy and productive population. In 1996, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stated that food security “exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.” FAO recognized four dimensions…
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Launch of the Compendium of Nutrition Intervention Coverage Indicators & Questions for Household Surveys
We are thrilled to launch the Compendium of Nutrition Intervention Coverage Indicators & Questions for Household Surveys today! The Compendium is a technical resource that can help national and subnational stakeholders fill information gaps around who is receiving nutrition interventions through health systems. Building on a set of indicators proposed in “Measuring the coverage of nutrition interventions along the continuum…
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Let’s make a plan!
Last month the Micronutrient Forum (MNF) released a Micronutrient Data Generation Initiative Strategic Plan—a comprehensive strategy for how to fill long-standing gaps in data on the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies across low- and middle-income countries. The strategy is noteworthy on multiple levels, but in particular for its theory of change which describes the steps and enabling factors required to achieve…
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Revisiting Core Indicators: Principles from the updated WHO-UNICEF Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) indicator guidance
In April 2021, WHO and UNICEF released updated definitions and measurement guidance for indicators to assess infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices. Originally released in 2008, indicators of diet quality for children 0-23 months of age have been an essential tool for policy makers and program planners within and across low- and middle- income countries (LMICs). The indicators, which…