Tracking India’s progress on addressing malnutrition and enhancing the use of data to improve programs


Book Description

Data systems and their usage are of great significance in the process of tracking malnutrition and improving programs. The key elements of a data system for nutrition include (1) data sources such as survey and administrative data and implementation research, (2) systems and processes for data use, and (3) data stewardship across a data value chain. The nutrition data value chain includes the prioritization of indicators, data collection, curation, analysis, and translation to policy and program recommendations and evidence based decisions. Finding the right fit for nutrition information systems is important and must include neither too little nor too much data; finding the data system that is the right fit for multiple decision makers is a big challenge. Developed together with NITI Aayog, this document covers issues that need to be considered in the strengthening of efforts to improve the availability and use of data generated through the work of POSHAN Abhiyaan, India’s National Nutrition Mission. The paper provides guidance for national-, state-, and district-level government officials and stakeholders regarding the use of data to track progress on nutrition interventions, immediate and underlying determinants, and outcomes. It examines the availability of data across a range of interventions in the POSHAN Abhiyaan framework, including population-based surveys and administrative data systems; it then makes recommendations for the improvement of data availability and use. To improve monitoring and data use, this document focuses on three questions: what types of indicators should be used; what types of data sources can be used; and with what frequency should progress on different indicator domains be assessed.




Are data available for tracking progress on nutrition policies and programs in South Asia?


Book Description

The World Health Organization (WHO) and other global nutrition and health agencies recommend nutrition actions throughout the life-course to address malnutrition in all its forms. As global recommendations are updated based on available evidence, it is anticipated that governments and stakeholders will, in turn, build on these recommendations to update national policies and programs. Little is known in the South Asia region about policy coherence with globally recommended actions. Even less is known about the degree to which countries are able to track their progress on nutrition actions. To address the gap, this brief summarizes the policy and program gaps in addressing nutrition actions, along with data gaps in population-based surveys in all the countries in the South Asia region, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.




Are data available for tracking progress on nutrition policies, programs, and outcomes in Pakistan?


Book Description

The World Health Organization (WHO) and other global nutrition and health agencies recommend nutrition actions throughout the life-course to address malnutrition in all its forms. In this report, we examined how Pakistan’s nutrition policies and programs addressed recommended nutrition actions, nutrition outcomes, and the determinants of these outcomes. We reviewed population-based surveys and administrative data systems to assess the availability of data on nutrition actions and on indicators of determinants and outcomes. Our policy review identified a total of 53 recommended evidence-based nutrition actions, of which 51 were applicable to Pakistan; of those, 47 were addressed in nutrition policies and programs. Nutrition actions not included in current policies and programs were: daily iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation and deworming during preconception; and food supplementation for complementary feeding, and daily IFA supplementation during early childhood. The Pakistan Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy (PMNS) (2018–2025) was found to recognize and address all the key determinants of nutrition; it also expressed an intent to address all the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) nutrition targets for maternal, infant, and young child nutrition. Targets for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) were not currently set in the national strategies. Our data review found that, out of 47 actions that policies and programs addressed, population-based surveys contained data on 26 actions and administrative data sources contained data on 22 actions. Neither surveys nor administrative sources contained data on any actions aimed at adolescence, on energy and protein dietary supplements, on various types of counseling, on birth preparedness during pregnancy, or on optimal timing (delayed) of umbilical cord clamping; they also did not contain data on indicators related to newborn care, IFA supplementation around delivery and in the postpartum period, or counseling after growth monitoring during early childhood. The data gaps in population-based surveys on nutrition actions during early childhood were compensated for by the data on these nutrition actions that was available from administrative sources. Neither of the population-based surveys contained data on nutrition actions during early childhood such as breastfeeding counseling, counseling on appropriate complementary feeding, growth monitoring, and identification and management of severe acute malnutrition (SAM), or management of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM); administrative data sources, however, contained data on these actions. Population-based surveys contained data on most of the indicators on immediate and underlying determinants of undernutrition, but administrative data sources lacked data on indicators of immediate determinants. Population-based surveys contained data on all outcome indicators. In conclusion, Pakistan’s policy landscape for nutrition is robust, but there is limited consideration of targets for NCDs. The gaps in data availability for tracking progress on nutrition are much greater than are the gaps in policies and programs for addressing the recommended actions. Future population-based surveys and future modifications of other data systems should aim to fill the identified data gaps for nutrition actions.




Are data available for tracking progress on nutrition policies, programs, and outcomes in Maldives?


Book Description

The World Health Organization (WHO) and other global nutrition and health agencies recommend nutrition actions across the life-course to address malnutrition in all its forms. In this report, we examined how Maldives’ nutrition policies and programs addressed recommended nutrition actions, determinants, and outcomes. We reviewed population-based surveys and assess the availability of data on nutrition actions, nutrition outcomes, and the determinants of these outcomes. Our policy review identified a total of 53 recommended evidence-based nutrition actions; of these, 49 nutrition actions were applicable in Maldives and 31 were addressed in the country’s nutrition policies and programs. The Maldives nutrition plan (the Integrated National Nutrition Strategic Plan, or INNSP) recognized and addressed all key determinants of nutrition except women’s status (appropriate age of marriage/childbirth) and infectious diseases; the country’s nutrition plan aimed to track progress on all nutrition outcome indicators. Our data review found that of 31 actions addressed by policies and programs, population-based surveys contained data on only 22 actions. Neither of the population-based surveys contained data on a range of actions, including advice on consuming iron and folic acid (IFA) during pregnancy, support for early initiation of breastfeeding and immediate skin-to-skin contact, optimal feeding of low-birth-weight infants, counseling of mothers of low-birth-weight infants on kangaroo mother care (KMC) during delivery and postpartum period, counseling on infant and young child feeding (IYCF), growth monitoring, and counseling after growth monitoring during early childhood. The population-based surveys contained data on most of the indicators for immediate and underlying determinants; indicators that were not available included maternal dietary diversity during pregnancy, household food insecurity, and coverage under social protection schemes. With the exception of anemia among non-pregnant women, data on all nutrition outcomes was available in population-based surveys. In conclusion, Maldives should consider updating its national policies and programs to address existing gaps in recommended nutrition actions; in addition, future population-based surveys may also need to be revised to fill identified data gaps around nutrition actions and determinants.




Coverage of nutrition and health Interventions in INDIA: Insights from the National Family Health Surveys


Book Description

Nutrition-specific interventions are aimed at improving the food, health, and care environment for women and children during the first 1000 days. These interventions span pregnancy, postnatal, and early childhood periods and include food and micronutrient supplementation, nutrition education and/or counselling, growth monitoring and promotion, as well as routine immunization, deworming, and care during illness. At 90% coverage, these interventions can contribute to 20% reduction in stunting and 61% reduction in severe wasting. India’s policy framework for health and nutrition is robust and includes most evidence-based nutrition and health interventions. Two large-scale national program platforms – the Integrated Child Development Services and the National Health Mission – together deliver these interventions across the country. India’s efforts at scaling up nutrition interventions are now also bolstered by the National Nutrition Mission. This Data Note describes the coverage of key nutrition and health interventions for which data are available in the National Family Health Surveys for 2015-2016 and 2019-2021. To examine coverage of interventions, indicators were created based on global definitions and making adaptations to Indian policy context where necessary. Data on women of reproductive age (15-49 years) with a child below five years of age from the most recent birth was used to compute these indicators. Indicator definitions are provided in Annex 1 of this Note.




Mapping Sustainable Development Goals for Children in India


Book Description

This book offers a comprehensive exploration of child well-being within the context of Indian states, focusing on the progress made in eight Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets. What sets this book apart is its unique perspective, as it delves into the well-being of children, examining their experiences across six key dimensions: child poverty and deprivation, anthropometric failure and undernutrition, child health and healthcare services, quality education, violence and gender equity, and overall child well-being. The book relies on data from various data sources such as the National Family Health Survey, Unified District Information System, and National Crime Records Bureau statistics. The child well-being score is calculated following the UNDP methodology, enabling a ranking of states and districts in terms of their progress between 2015-16 and 2019-21. In addition to rigorous quantitative analysis, the book delves into the implications of key policies like the National Education Policy, National Health Policy, social protection schemes, and Poshan Abhiyan on child development and their role in achieving SDG targets. It systematically compares the performance of Indian states in relation to SDG targets, using child-specific indicators, making this book truly unique. It incorporates more than 30 child-related indicators, spanning the eight child-specific SDGs selected for analysis. The child well-being achievement score from 2015-16 serves as a baseline for assessing the progress toward SDG goals. The indicators presented in this book serve as valuable tools for tracking SDG progress and sustainably monitoring child well-being at the state level. Ultimately, the book not only reveals the depth of deprivations but also provides a roadmap for region-specific priority areas, strongly advocating for child-centric policy interventions. This book will be useful for the academicians, policy makers, government officials, civil bodies, NGOs and other research communities including doctoral researchers who are working in the field of child wellbeing.




2024-25 NTA UGC-NET/JRF Home Science Solved Papers


Book Description

2024-25 NTA UGC-NET/JRF Home Science Solved Papers 384 695 E. This book contains previous year solved papers from 2012 to 2023 with details explanation and certified answer key.




A4NH 2020 annual report


Book Description

Resilient food systems. Zoonoses transmission. Food safety in fresh-food markets. As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, phrases that had most often been found in research papers suddenly emerged on the front pages of newspapers and in trending topics on social media. Countries, corporations, and consumers alike struggled to understand not only how to cope with the threat of the disease itself, but also with meeting basic needs, such as food security, nutrition, and health, as lockdowns and mobility restrictions reshaped the world in very unequal ways, seemingly overnight. As a consortium working across five flagship research areas to address some of the world’s greatest challenges in nutrition and health, the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH) was uniquely prepared to support policymakers and partners in low- and middle-income countries in their COVID-19 response and recovery efforts and to contribute research evidence on ways to build back better toward a more equitable, food secure, and sustainable future.




The Operational Evidence Base for Delivering Direct Nutrition Interventions in India


Book Description

The persistence of undernutrition in the face of India’s impressive economic growth is of enormous concern. Less than 55 percent of mothers and children receive any essential health and nutrition inputs that are critical for improving maternal and child nutrition. We conducted a desk review (1) to document the extent to which national and civil society/NGO programs in India reflect current technical recommendations for nutrition and (2) assess the operational evidence base for implementing essential interventions for nutrition in the Indian context. We reviewed the design of the two major national programs, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). Subsequently, we used Google Scholar to search the published literature from 2000 to 2012 for evidence of interventions addressing the inputs to improve child nutrition. Finally, we contacted 70 program stakeholders to identify the unpublished evidence on inputs in program models implemented by civil society/nongovernment organizations. We find that, by design, the two national programs (ICDS and NRHM) together appear to incorporate all the essential inputs and use evidence-based interventions. There is an expectation by design that the frontline workers of ICDS and NRHM coordinate and collaborate to deliver the interventions. A review of 22 program models shows that a majority focused on improving breastfeeding and timely initiation of complementary feeding. However, only a few addressed the full spectrum of complementary feeding, vitamin A deficiency, pediatric anemia, and severe acute malnutrition. None addressed how to reduce intestinal parasitic burdens or prevent malaria. There is limited published literature on the effectiveness of the recommended interventions to deliver the essential inputs. There are few efficacy studies and even fewer effectiveness studies or program evaluations on delivering essential nutrition interventions in the Indian context. The most commonly used delivery strategies across multiple essential inputs were home visits that involved individual or group counseling by community health workers or by self-help groups. Mass media and community events such as marriages and fairs were used as avenues to generate support for the interventions. Some programs used community mobilization to promote the interventions. Several of these programs worked to improve coordination and convergence between ICDS and NRHM and to strengthen these existing systems through training, improved monitoring, and supervision. Overall, a large gap persists in both the published and gray literature on how to promote interventions to address the essential inputs. Much more operational evidence is needed to ensure high-quality delivery of the evidence-based interventions that are already being implemented nationwide. Given the potential for the national programs to effectively deliver interventions to achieve maximum coverage and impact, and the government of India’s current interest in ICDS system strengthening, this is an opportune time to test some of the innovations using the ICDS and NRHM platforms.




Global Nutrition Report 2014


Book Description

At the 2013 Nutrition for Growth Summit in London, 96 signatories (governments, civil society organizations, donors, United Nations’ agencies, and businesses) agreed to support the creation of an annual report on global nutrition that would be authored by an independent expert group, in partnership with a large number of contributors. The first edition of this report, the Global Nutrition Report 2014, puts a spotlight on worldwide progress by the 193 member countries of the United Nations in improving their nutrition status, identifies bottlenecks to change, highlights opportunities for action, and contributes to strengthened nutrition accountability on country and global levels.