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Nutrition for Adolescent Girls

an adolescent girl looks backward over her shoulder and smiles broadly

Adolescence marks a critical period of biological and psychosocial growth and development that is unique from other phases in the lifecycle. To date, there is little good-quality evidence on diets and eating practices of adolescent girls in low- and middle-income countries. Given the gap in global nutrition guidance for adolescents and women of reproductive age, SPRING has partnered with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the USAID-funded Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance III Project (FANTA), and other leaders in the field to identify key diet and eating practices for this group and explore effective options for promoting them.

This work includes determining adolescent girls’ dietary intake, understanding related macro- and household-level factors, strategizing recommendations for improvement, encouraging advocacy, and improving research. SPRING is working to identify and promote nutrition programming and development programs that target adolescents’ diet and eating practices.

We are committed to building the focus on adolescent girls and women of reproductive age. SPRING has worked to identify major gaps in the global community’s understanding of adolescent girls’ nutritional status and nutrition-related behaviors and has drafted guidance for USAID and other implementing partners to better promote adolescent girls’ nutrition through existing programs and systems. We are currently partnering to develop more comprehensive global guidance on diet and eating practices of adolescent girls with the WHO.

News

adolescent girl smiling into camera
March 2015
Good eating practices among adolescent girls and young women are a critical component of good nutrition in the First 1,000 Days. Recognizing the importance of focusing on this key population, SPRING is partnering with nutrition leaders to push the ag...
Mike Mazinga, a member of SPRING/Uganda staff, explains how SPRING played a role in encouraging production and consumption of fortified foods in Uganda.
November 2017
Nearly 100 people attended SPRING/Uganda’s close out and legacy event to celebrate the project’s five-year journey to achieve results in nutrition. Participants included representatives from the USAID/Uganda Mission, officials from different ministri...
Close up image of adolescent boys and girls smiling at the camera.
March 2018
The SPRING project worked with the World Health Organization (WHO) Evidence and Programme Guidance Unit, Department of Nutrition for Health and Development, to develop Guideline: Implementing Effective Actions for Improving Adolescent Nutrition. This...