Strengthening knowledge management in programmes fighting malnutrition in Latin America

• Partnership Summary
• Results

The objective of this project was to strengthen the capacities of teams working on malnutrition in the Latin American region with a focus on using a multi-sectoral approach for nutrition. This alliance further developed knowledge management systems on factors leading to food insecurity and malnutrition; mapped intervention strategies through case studies to generate success stories and best practices based on evidence; developed communities of practice; and sensitized political decision-makers on the these models and other ways of tackling nutritional problems.

A virtual space to facilitate the knowledge management and dissemination of technical information on food security and nutrition was put in place.

The site, www.paho.org/nutricionydesarrollo, was launched in May 2012.

Relevant information, news events and studies were selected and posted on ths site. 

Virtual forums were held on specific themes, such as legislation for healthy nutrition for children, advertisement legislation, etc. The forums drew participants from more than 10 countries in the region from government, civil society, academia and international cooperation, among others.

• Between October 2012 and July 2013, the site received 33,515 hits and the publications received up to 64.051 visitors, showing a high interest in the products offered.

A network of practitioners and community of practice were created through the platform APNUDE. Stakeholders received information, discussed, shared and redistributed their own news and materials. Newsletters were periodically sent to more than 4,700 recipients.

Technical assistance to Governments:

• Provided technical assistance to the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion in Peru to design a child development’s programme based on house-to-house visits, through the provision of evidence-based information on the effect of socio-economic status and family responsibilities on the care and stimulation, nutritional status and infant development.
• Support for the dissemination of the epidemiological situation and determinants of childhood obesity in Peru. Several discussion events were organized on this topic:
  1. May 9, 2012, the Ministry of Health of Peru in Lima organized the International Conference "Nutrition and Obesity: New evidence emerging ideas and policies".
  2. June 22, 2012, the project participated in the organization of "Promotion Technical Forum Healthy Eating". As a result, participating institutions developed a joint statement in support of the Bill on Healthy Eating for Children and Adolescents.
  3. June 27, 2012 the International Forum, "Healthy eating: Studies and international trends," organized by the Congress of the Republic of Peru, was held in Lima.
  4. Supported the discussion process and organization of the 1st National Workshop Discussion on Rice Fortification in Peru. » www.paho.org/nutricionydesarrollo/?p=1494
     » www.paho.org/nutricionydesarrollo/?p=1611
  5. 25-26 November 2012, Mexico City, participated in a special meeting on "Legislation, regulations and policies in curbing obesity and promoting healthy eating among children in Latin America" in order to generate political awareness on one of the main determinants of the obesity epidemic in the region.

Contribution to the design and implementation of evaluation studies of food security and nutrition interventions.

• Several products were developed:
  1. Multi-country study on the implementation of public policies to address nutrition issues in Latin America.
  2. Formulation of an index of child development, establishing a relationship between children's development and social determinants.
  3. Supported the continuation of the study "Effectiveness of a precooked corn cereal fortified with ferrous gluconate stabilized with glycine or ferrous bisglycinate on iron status of children aged 24-59 months."
  4. Funded STATA research and training in epidemiology and/or public health Workshop, 17^th and 22^nd June 2013 in Panama, organized in collaboration with the Department of Nutritional Health of Panama Ministry of Health.
  5. Impact Assessment of the MDG-F Joint Programme of Food Security and Nutrition in Peru.
  6. International Technical Meeting on Food Consumption Survey, 29 - 31, 2013, Lima, Peru. International meeting where experts from Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico and Peru presented, discussed and reached a consensus on the main procedures and critical points of survey methodologies on food consumption. The results of this meeting were used in the development of the technical guidelines on the methodology that the Technical Committee on Food Consumption of CENAN/INS/MINSA--CTCA was tasked to develop.
  7. Systematized Lessons Learned on Food Security and Nutrition from the MDG-F multisectorial joint programmes. Between March and July 2013, a series of virtual and face to face meetings were organized to systematize the most significant experiences of the implementation of programmes within the Food Security and Nutrition thematic window of the MDG-F in Latin America. A face-to-face workshop was co-organized with UNICEF in its role as convenor of the MDG-F Knowledge Management Strategy for food security and nutrition, which gathered representatives of eight countries of Latin America and the Caribbean in Lima in June 2013. As a result, a publication was developed.

List of publications

• Lecciones aprendidas en programas articulados de salud, alimentación y nutrición: informe de sistematización de experiencias exitosas en los programas conjuntos de infancia, seguridad alimentaria y nutrición de américa latina y caribe.
• Metodología de análisis para estudios de Desarrollo Infantil
• Estudio multi-país sobre implementación de políticas públicas para reducir la desnutrición crónica en las Américas
• Bases jurídicas para la elaboración de políticas públicas de promoción de la alimentación saludable
• Fundamentos desde la salud pública para la elaboración de políticas públicas de promoción de la alimentación saludable
• Análisis de la publicidad de los grupos de alimentos y presentación de los resultados y conclusiones del estudio.
• Memoria: Reunión técnica internacional de experiencias en estudios de consumo de alimentos
• Estudio de evaluación de impacto del programa conjunto infancia seguridad alimentaria y nutrición de Perú
• Análisis de los factores relacionados al desarrollo motor y del lenguaje: evaluación bajo los inventarios de hitos motores y de lenguaje en el estudio de línea de base en niños del programa conjunto-isan Perú
• Efectividad de un cereal de maíz precocido fortificado con gluconato ferroso estabilizado con glicina o bisglicinato ferroso sobre el estatus de hierro de niños de 24 a 59 meses
• Informe sobre la Publicidad de Alimentos No Saludables y Bebidas Azucaradas, los Sucedáneos de la Leche Materna y Alimentos Procesados
• Informe sobre el sustento epidemiológico y jurídico de la legislación sobre promoción de alimentación saludable¡
• Revisión y Actualización de las Premisas Conceptuales y Principios Estratégicos 2013 de la Alianza Panamericana de la Salud.