Malnutrition

Events

Assessing Drivers of Malnutrition in Nigeria

With a stunting rate over 40 percent among children under five in Nigeria, 17.2 million of its estimated 40 million children are chronically malnourished.

Keywords: Malnutrition
Location: Online
Event banner featuring a woman with her smiling baby

SPRING Global Nutrition Learning Event

SPRING hosted a learning event at the National Press Club to share key lessons learned and results achieved with our partners over the past six years, along with a wide range of tools...

Keywords: Malnutrition, Multi-sector
Location: Washington, DC
Improving the Diet and Eating Practices of Adolescent Girls

Improving the Diet and Eating Practices of Adolescent Girls

Webinar on the current nutritional status and practices of adolescent girls globally, and why investments in their health and well-being are crucial to improve nutrition worldwide.

Keywords: Maternal nutrition, Adolescents, Stunting, Malnutrition
Location: Online
Women's Empowerment Mitigates the Negative Effects of Low Production Diversity on Maternal and Child Nutrition in Nepal

Ag2Nut Community Call: Farm-level Pathways to Improved Nutritional Status: New Empirical Evidence from Africa and South Asia

In the December 2015 Ag2Nut call, the Community of Practice presented a synthesis of a set of eight new studies that empirically test, using data from Africa and South Asia, whether a...

Keywords: Dietary diversity, Malnutrition, Agriculture, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Women's empowerment
Location: Online

Briefs

Image of a woman watering her crops with a large watering can.

Drivers of Malnutrition in Niger: Analysis of Secondary Data Sources

This brief provides information about the status, trends, and drivers of malnutrition in Niger, and aims to inform the identification of core priorities for future programming and...

Location: Niger, Sahel

Reports

Photo of A woman and her daughter outside a building. Caption: “Mother and daughter share a laugh during the household survey in Cross River State”

Assessing Drivers of Malnutrition in Nigeria

SPRING conducted a two-phase multi-sectoral nutrition assessment for the USAID Nigeria during August–October 2017. We undertook the study to inform the development of a five-year, Global...

Keywords: Food security, Malnutrition
Location: Nigeria
Photo of a kid holding a soccer ball

Review of Programming for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Nigeria

This report is intended to provoke discussion and catalyze change among existing nutrition and OVC institutions, decision-makers, practitioners, and influencers. Since USAID has included...

Keywords: Social and behavior change communication, Adolescents, Training, Malnutrition
Location: Nigeria
Woman selling produce at market

Baseline Nutrition Survey in the Kyrgyz Republic

To combat undernutrition in the Kyrgyz Republic, SPRING is implementing a comprehensive, multisectoral program to influence 11 nutrition-related behaviors that are linked to stunting and...

Keywords: Malnutrition, Multi-sector, Anemia, Stunting, Supplementation, Handwashing, Water, sanitation, and hygiene
Location: Kyrgyz Republic
Integrated Nutrition and Agriculture Needs Assessment for Sierra Leone

Integrated Nutrition and Agriculture Needs Assessment for Sierra Leone

As part of USAID’s Ebola recovery efforts, USAID/Sierra Leone and USAID/Washington’s Bureau for Food Security (BFS) requested that the SPRING conduct a nutrition assessment in Bombali and...

Keywords: Malnutrition, Social and behavior change communication, Thousand days
Location: Sierra Leone
Woman stands in front of produce stand

Guinea Nutrition Assessment

As part of USAID’s Ebola recovery efforts, USAID/Guinea and USAID/Washington’s Bureau for Food Security (BFS) requested that the SPRING conduct a nutrition assessment to identify key...

Keywords: Anemia, Stunting, Malnutrition, Dietary diversity
Location: Guinea

Galleries

A participant looks at a copy of the new publication for home based storage and preservation of nutritious foods in the Kyrgyz Republic.

"Strengthening Linkages Between Agriculture and Nutrition" Event in the Kyrgyz Republic

SPRING/Kyrgyz Republic hosted an event for health officials in Bishkek to discuss nutrition-sensitive agriculture and launch a new reference book on long-term food storage and preservation.

Keywords: Agriculture, Anemia, Community mobilization, Dietary diversity, Food security, Malnutrition, Multi-sector, Nutrition-sensitive, Nutrition-specific, Social and behavior change communication
Location: Kyrgyz Republic
Sports competition winners

In Pictures: Healthy Nutrition – Healthy Youth Event in Jalal Abad

SPRING/Kyrgyz Republic and the Jalal Abad Mayor's Office held a 5K run promoting exercise, nutrition, and healthy children.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Community mobilization, Dietary diversity, Infant and young child feeding, Malnutrition, Social and behavior change communication
Location: Kyrgyz Republic
Holding newborn baby

In Pictures: SPRING/Bangladesh Celebrates World Breastfeeding Week 2016

SPRING/Bangladesh observed World Breastfeeding Week, organizing rallies, dramas, music performances, quiz competitions, and discussions across Khulna and Barisal divisions.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Community mobilization, Essential nutrition actions, Infant and young child feeding, Malnutrition, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Thousand days
Location: Bangladesh
Ambassador Gwaltney plays with a SPRING volunteer’s baby boy (held by SPRING Chief of Party Michael Foley) after discussing the impact good nutrition information will make on their community and the next generation.

US Ambassador Joins SPRING to Improve Nutrition in Kyrgyz Republic

US Ambassador Sheila Gwaltney visited SPRING/Kyrgyzstan program working to improve nutrition outcomes among women and children in Naryn Oblast.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Communication, Essential nutrition actions, Gender, Infant and young child feeding, Malnutrition, Maternal nutrition, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Nutrition-specific, Social and behavior change communication
Location: Kyrgyz Republic
SPRING’s Pathways to Better Nutrition (PBN) Nepal case study team and HKI Nepal staff who helped support the study gathered at the final national dissemination event, held in Kathmandu on April 20th 2016

Photos from the Pathways to Better Nutrition Nepal National and District Dissemination Events

SPRING held three district- and one national-level dissemination events in Nepal to present final results from the Pathways to Better Nutrition (PBN) Case Study, which focused on Nepal’s...

Keywords: Budgeting/financing for nutrition, Malnutrition, Multi-sector, Nutrition-sensitive, Nutrition-specific
Location: Nepal

News

Nora Madrigal (USAID), Aisha Zhorobekova (USAID), Il Hyong Won (Good Neighbors)

SPRING Publishes New Food Storage Guide at Agriculture and Nutrition Event

SPRING/Kyrgyz Republic hosted an event for health officials in Bishkek to discuss nutrition-sensitive agriculture and launch a new reference book on long-term food storage and preservation.

Keywords: Agriculture, Anemia, Community mobilization, Dietary diversity, Food security, Malnutrition, Multi-sector, Nutrition-sensitive, Nutrition-specific, Social and behavior change communication
Location: Kyrgyz Republic
Nathan Park, center, poses with SPRING volunteers and trainers after a session on methods of long term storage and preservation of nutritious foods at home.

USAID Deputy Mission Director Visits SPRING Program in Kok-Jangak Rayon of Kyrgyz Republic

Deputy Mission Director Nathan Park visited SPRING activity sites in Kok-Jangak rayon, where he participated in a training on home-based storage of nutritious foods, and joined a home visit...

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Community mobilization, Complementary feeding, Food security, Home gardens, Infant and young child feeding, Malnutrition, Social and behavior change communication, Thousand days, Training
Location: Kyrgyz Republic
SPRING/Senegal Gender Advisor Daba Ndione Beye interacts with training participants.

SPRING Promotes Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment during Producer Organization Training Series

SPRING/Senegal organized a workshop for representatives of partner networks to raise awareness on gender issues and promote men and women as partners in household decision-making for good...

Keywords: Double burden, Family planning, Gender, Integration, Malnutrition, Maternal nutrition, Multi-sector, Social and behavior change communication, Sustainability, Training, Women's empowerment
Location: Senegal
Runners at the starting line

Healthy Nutrition – Healthy Youth Event in Jalal Abad

SPRING/Kyrgyz Republic and the Jalal Abad Mayor's Office held a 5K run promoting exercise, nutrition, and healthy children.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Community mobilization, Dietary diversity, Infant and young child feeding, Malnutrition, Social and behavior change communication
Location: Kyrgyz Republic
A child receives a vitamin A supplement

SPRING/Bangladesh Supports Government of Bangladesh Vitamin A Plus Campaign

SPRING/Bangladesh provided secretarial and logistical supports and assisted in community mobilization activities in Khulna and Barisal divisions for the successful observance of the Vitamin...

Keywords: Malnutrition, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Micronutrient, Supplementation
Location: Bangladesh
Top of the poster presented at this event

SPRING/Ghana Presents WASH 1,000 at the 39th Annual Water Engineering and Development Centre Conference

SPRING/Ghana’s WASH 1,000 approach was featured in a presentation and poster session at the annual WEDC conference.

Keywords: Clean household approach, Community mobilization, Enteropathy, Handwashing, Integration, Malnutrition, Multi-sector, Social and behavior change communication, Stunting, Thousand days, Water, sanitation, and hygiene
Location: Ghana
Holding newborn baby

SPRING/Bangladesh Celebrates World Breastfeeding Week 2016

SPRING/Bangladesh observed World Breastfeeding Week, organizing rallies, dramas, music performances, quiz competitions, and discussions across Khulna and Barisal divisions

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Community mobilization, Essential nutrition actions, Infant and young child feeding, Malnutrition, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Thousand days
Location: Bangladesh
Ambassador Gwaltney plays with SPRING volunteer’s baby boy (held by SPRING Chief of Party Michael Foley) after discussing the impact good nutrition information will make on their community and the next generation.

US Ambassador Joins SPRING to Improve Nutrition in Kyrgyz Republic

US Ambassador Sheila Gwaltney visited SPRING/Kyrgyzstan program working to improve nutrition outcomes among women and children in Naryn Oblast.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Communication, Essential nutrition actions, Gender, Infant and young child feeding, Malnutrition, Social and behavior change communication, Nutrition-specific, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Maternal nutrition
Location: Kyrgyz Republic
SPRING’s Pathways to Better Nutrition (PBN) team member Madhukar B. Shrestha (top, second from right) recently attended the Public Finance for Nutrition in Asia (PF4N) workshop in Bangkok, Thailand, as part of the larger Nepali delegation.

PBN Case Study Contributes to Nepali Delegation Presentation at SUN Movement Workshop

SPRING’s PBN Case Study supported the Nepali Delegation at the Public Finance for Nutrition in Asia (PF4N) workshop.

Keywords: Budgeting/financing for nutrition, Nutrition-sensitive, Nutrition-specific, Malnutrition, Sustainability
Madhukar B. Shrestha presents the results of the PBN study in Nepal

SPRING’s Pathways to Better Nutrition Case Study Findings Presented in Kathmandu

The PBN case study provides insights into funding processes for nutrition and engages key stakeholders to use data for decision-making in Nepal.

Keywords: Budgeting/financing for nutrition, Malnutrition, Nutrition-sensitive, Nutrition-specific, Sustainability
Location: Nepal
Group of women sitting in a circle outside

SPRING Celebrates International Women’s Day 2016

Happy #IWD2016! Learn how SPRING is empowering women through better nutrition.

Keywords: Women's empowerment, Adolescents, Anemia, Community media, Communication, Gender, Malnutrition, Mass media
Young girls at market

SPRING Conducts Nutrition Assessment in Post-Ebola Guinea

In post-Ebola Guinea, SPRING conducted a nutrition assessment to provide insights into nutrition status and inform a new workplan.

Keywords: Agriculture, Dietary diversity, Malnutrition, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Nutrition-sensitive, Food security, Social and behavior change communication, Nutrition-specific
Location: Guinea

Videos

Marching in the street for World Breastfeeding Week 2016

Video Showcasing SPRING/Bangladesh's World Breastfeeding Week 2016 Activities

SPRING/Bangladesh observed World Breastfeeding Week from August 1-7, 2016 by organizing over 100 rallies, quiz competitions, discussions, and several dramas and music performances in all 40...

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Community mobilization, Essential nutrition actions, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Infant and young child feeding, Malnutrition, Thousand days
Location: Bangladesh

Activities

Women and children sitting outside

Concept Testing Tailors Community Videos to Local Context in Two Regions in Niger

SPRING and Digital Green gathered community input to nutrition and hygiene focused videos in two villages in Niger.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Community media, Complementary feeding, Dietary diversity, Family planning, Gender, Handwashing, Infant and young child feeding, Malnutrition, Maternal nutrition, Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Nutrition-sensitive, Nutrition-specific, Social and behavior change communication, Thousand days, Water, sanitation, and hygiene, Women's empowerment
Location: Niger

Success Stories

Infant in a blanket

Lifesaving Links in Nigeria

At birth, Nyepesi lost her mother to HIV. She was left in the care of her grandmother, Maza Akaba, who lives in Ichecheni community, 10 kilometers from Nyepesi’s home in Lafia, Nigeria. No...

Keywords: Infant and young child feeding, HIV/AIDS, Malnutrition
Location: Nigeria

Pages

Resource Review Summaries

United Nations System Standing Committee on Nutrition (UNSCN)

The United Nations System Standing Committee on Nutrition (UNSCN) is the food and nutrition policy harmonization forum of the United Nations. The mandate of the UNSCN is to promote...

Keywords: Malnutrition, Scale-up

2016 Global Hunger Index: Getting to Zero Hunger

The 2016 Global Hunger Index presents a multidimensional measure of national, regional, and global hunger, focusing on how the world can get to Zero Hunger by 2030. The developing world has...

Keywords: Malnutrition

Rani’s School of Nutrition: Children and Families Enjoy Better Health with Help from Farmer Nutrition Schools

This article features one community’s story of an innovative, community-focused approach to tackling malnutrition in rural Bangladesh through its Farmer Nutrition School pioneered by SPRING...

Keywords: Malnutrition, Farmer nutrition school, Agriculture
Location: Bangladesh

Nutrition for Growth II from Commitment to Action: Recommendations to Improve Nutrition through Agriculture and Food Systems

In light of the Nutrition for Growth Summit (N4GII) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on August 4th, 2016, this brief provides information and advice to help policymakers invest in effective...

Keywords: Malnutrition, Agriculture

Pulses for Food Security and Nutrition

The 68th UN General Assembly declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses. In the context of this campaign, FAO experts Teodardo Calles and Fernanda Grande hosted a webinar to present the...

Keywords: Food security, Agriculture, Nutrient-dense crops, Malnutrition

Evidence-Based Evolution of an Integrated Nutrition-Focused Agriculture Approach to Address the Underlying Determinants of Stunting

Young children remain the most vulnerable population to food insecurity--low birthweight and stunting continue to be among the most visible effects of malnutrition. Helen Keller...

Keywords: Stunting, Integration, Food security, Malnutrition

Educating and Training a Workforce for Nutrition in a Post-2015 World

Despite global progress, efforts to alleviate malnutrition are often hampered by a shortage in number, skills, and geographic coverage of a workforce for nutrition. This article reviews the...

Keywords: Malnutrition

Importance of Government Policies and Other Influences in Transforming Global Diets

Since 1992, the number of undernourished people in the world has remained about the same; however obesity has quickly become a major public health concern around the globe. This article...

Keywords: Malnutrition

Convergence and Tension in Nutrition-Sensitive Agricultural Market Development Activities

Despite inherent differences in program approaches and contexts, agricultural market development and nutrition activities must work together to address the immediate and underlying...

Keywords: Agriculture, Malnutrition

Assessing the Effectiveness of Agri-Food Value Chain: Interventions Aimed at Enhancing Consumption of Nutritious Food by the Poor

Despite rapid economic growth in recent years, South Asia still has among the highest child malnutrition rates in the world with half the child population undernourished. Besides children,...

Keywords: Malnutrition, Micronutrient, Agriculture
Location: Asia

The SDGs Will Require Integrated Agriculture, Nutrition, and Health at the Community Level

Child malnutrition is a complex issue requiring integrated approaches across sectors such as agriculture, nutrition, and health. While national-level efforts are underway in many countries...

Keywords: Malnutrition, Agriculture, Community mobilization

African Countries Urged to Eradicate Malnutrition

This news radio clip and associated article covers the FAO Africa Regional Nutrition Conference in Accra, which includes a speech by Dr. Anna Lartey, Director of the Nutrition Division of...

Keywords: Multi-sector, Malnutrition
Location: Ghana

Agreeing on Causes of Malnutrition for Joint Action

This interactive self-training tool is designed to deepen users’ understanding of the multisectoral causes of malnutrition and equip learners with broader participatory facilitation skills...

Keywords: Malnutrition

‘Invisible’ Crisis Scars Children for Life

This article features approaches to combat severe chronic malnutrition in Guatemala, some of which include agricultural practices. Other featured approaches include improved education,...

Keywords: Malnutrition
Location: Guatemala

Learning from World Bank History: Food Based Approaches for Addressing Malnutrition

In 2014, the World Bank’s SecureNutrition Platform, in collaboration with the World Bank Library and Archives of Development, led a review to present a summary on how agricultural and food-...

Keywords: Malnutrition

Magic Mash: Reducing Child Malnutrition with Sweet Potatoes

This article describes a project in sub Saharan Africa that is promoting biofortified orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP) to contribute to reducing malnutrition. The author explores the...

Keywords: Malnutrition

Effectiveness of a Rural Sanitation Programme on Diarrhoea, Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infection, and Child Malnutrition in Odisha, India: A Cluster-Randomised Trial

This randomized control trial examined the effectiveness of a rural sanitation intervention to prevent diarrhea, soil-transmitted helminth infection, and child malnutrition in India....

Keywords: Water, sanitation, and hygiene, Malnutrition
Location: India

The 2014 SUN Movement Global Gathering & ICN2 Side Event

The Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement has grown rapidly and now includes the countries that are home to half the world’s malnourished children. Over the years, the SUN Movement...

Keywords: Malnutrition, Scaling up nutrition

Poor Sanitation in India May Afflict Well-Fed Children With Malnutrition

This article examines the vexing question of why Indian children from relatively well-off families with an ample supply of nutritious food needed for a healthy diet still suffer from...

Keywords: Malnutrition
Location: India

Reducing Child Undernutrition: Past Drivers and Priorities for the Post-MDG Era

Working to update their previous IFPRI work, “Explaining Child Malnutrition in Developing Countries” (2000), Lisa Smith and Lawrence Haddad draw on data from 1970-2012 across 116 countries...

Keywords: Malnutrition, Water, sanitation, and hygiene, Women's empowerment

Undernutrition in the Land of Rice: Why There Should be a Nutrition Goal in the Post-2015 Framework – The Case for Cambodia

Cambodia has enjoyed positive economic growth over the last 2 decades. And yet, 40 percent of children under five remain stunted today—a rift between prosperity and nutrition that is often...

Keywords: Stunting, Malnutrition
Location: Cambodia

Widespread Childhood Malnutrition is a Paradox in Agriculturally Rich Guatemala

About half of Guatemala’s children will face physical or developmental challenges due to malnutrition, yet vegetables grown for export overflow in the countryside. Roger Thurow longtime...

Keywords: Malnutrition
Location: Guatemala

Community for Zero Hunger Practitioner Survey

The Community for Zero Hunger has created a 5-part survey targeted towards “individuals whose primary responsibility is shaping domestic policy, designing programs, and/or implementing food...

Keywords: Malnutrition, Agriculture

USAID Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy 2014-2025

USAID’s Nutrition Strategy embodies a multi-sectoral approach to address both direct and underlying causes of malnutrition. With this strategy, USAID aims to decrease chronic malnutrition,...

Keywords: Multi-sector, Stunting, Malnutrition, Resiliency

Household Food Insecurity and Nutritional Status of Children and Women in Nepal

This paper examines the association between food insecurity and nutritional status of children and married women in Nepal using DHS data. There is a significant association between food...

Keywords: Food security, Malnutrition
Location: Nepal

Incorporating Nutrition into Feed the Future Research Programs

This webinar provided an overview of the global malnutrition problem; the main approaches through which the agriculture sector can address malnutrition; some of the agriculture-related...

Keywords: Malnutrition, Agriculture
Location: Asia, Africa

A Farming Model Aimed at Addressing Malnutrition

This blog by Prasun Kumar Das of LANSA describes Farming Systems for Nutrition (FSN), a new farming model that has been developed with the expressed purpose of improving nutrition. It is...

Keywords: Malnutrition
Location: India

Multi-sectoral Approaches to Nutrition: Nutrition-Specific and Nutrition-Sensitive Interventions to Accelerate Progress

This overview from the Maternal and Young Child Nutrition Security Initiative in Asia outlines linkages between nutrition and a variety of development sectors. The brief re-examines the...

Keywords: Maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, Multi-sector, Malnutrition, Nutrition-specific, Nutrition-sensitive
Location: Asia

Incorporating Nutrition into Feed the Future Research Programs, February 11

This webinar will provide an overview of the global malnutrition problem, the main approaches through which the agriculture sector can address malnutrition, some of the agriculture- related...

Keywords: Malnutrition
Location: Asia, Africa