Nutrition

Creating interventions to address malnutrition is an intricate task, because there are so many factors that contribute to this larger issue. JSI recognizes that malnutrition is a complex and cyclical public health challenge. In response, JSI has designed programs for women, infants, children, and adolescents, to ensure that we are addressing this problem on every level. To read more about JSI's nutrition programs, research, and results, see the publications below.

For JSI-authored articles in peer-reviewed journals please go to Journal Articles.

Please note the following are listed in chronological order starting with the most recent publication.

GAIN Working Paper Series No. 3: Using the Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes to Guide the Marketing of Complementary Foods to Protect Optimal Infant Feeding Practices (PDF, 765 KB)

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition found that many questions exist on how the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes applies to the marketing of commercialized complementary foods and supplements, an intervention area that has gained both increased attention and investment over the past years, to ensure that optimal breastfeeding practices are protected and promoted. An urgent need was felt as already private companies are producing complementary food and supplement products in areas of the world where undernutrition rates are high and infant feeding practices fragile and suboptimal at best. Therefore, it was felt that some guidance was needed, even if preliminary and incomplete, that could provide governments, private companies and other interested groups basic information on the appropriate marketing of complementary foods and supplements that would also ensure the protection and promotion of optimal infant feeding practices. Victoria Quinn, Elizabeth Zehner, Dominic Schofield, Agnes Guyon and Sandra Huffman. GAIN Working Paper Series, March 2010.

The CAPA Handbook: A 'How-To' Guide for Implementing Catchment Area Planning and Action, a Community-Based Child Survival Approach (PDF, 1.06 MB)

This manual provides step-by-step guidelines for implementing the CAPA approach and was developed for use by State Ministries of Health, program managers, technical staff, and donor agencies involved in community-oriented approaches for child survival activities. Basic Support for Institutionalizing Child Survival/Nigeria (BASICS II/N), in collaboration with Nigeria's federal and state governments, conceptualized and designed a community-based approach called Catchment Area Planning and Action (CAPA) to empower community members to take an active role in improving the health of their children, specifically around immunization, nutrition, and malaria. CAPA's approach places the locus of health program development at the community level with the intent of creating community ownership, promoting public and private sector partnerships, and stimulating demand. The approach is flexible enough for adoption by other development ministries and partners in Nigeria or by other developing countries, and its adaptation and its use in other sectors and contexts are encouraged. John Snow, Inc./BASICS II. 2004.

Tools for Operationalizing Essential Nutrition Actions (PDF, 222 KB)

Annotated bibliography of tools for operationalizing essential nutritional actions. JSI/BASICS II. 2003.

Nutrition Essentials: A Guide for Health Managers (PDF, 2.68 MB)

Health managers working at the central or district level in developing countries can use the information in this guide to strengthen nutrition activities in their programs by 1) looking up current nutrition protocols and guidelines; 2) learning the technical reasons for focusing on certain nutrition outcomes and interventions; 3) finding checklists that can be adapted locally for program planning, training, supervision, and evaluation; and 4) developing training aids, designing curriculum, and making overheads and handouts. The primary target groups for the priority nutrition interventions are women, and children under two years of age. Recommendations are given for the nutritional needs of women and children, child feeding guidelines, protocols for micronutrient supplementation, and standards of care for prevention and treatment. The guide also provides information on using a three-pronged strategy that includes: 1) strengthening nutrition in health facilities, 2) providing community-based nutrition services, and 3) using appropriate communications channels to reinforce key nutrition actions and outcomes. Chapters cover the scientific basis for strengthening nutrition, the steps required to plan improved nutrition interventions, guidelines for implementing priority nutrition actions in health facilities and communities, the main elements of a district communications program for nutrition, the systems supports required to implement nutrition interventions, and the current international recommendations and protocols for priority nutrition interventions. C 1999, World Health Organization. Produced by WHO, UNICEF, and BASICS. 1999.

Maternal Anthropometry for Prediction of Pregnancy Outcomes: Memorandum from a USAID/WHO/PAHO/MotherCare Meeting (PDF, 552 KB)

Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 69(5): 523-532 ( 1991). (M501)