Document Library
This review paper assesses the effectiveness of CCT in improving access to care and health outcomes, in particular for poorer populations in low and middle income countries. The evidence strongly suggests that CCTs could be an effective approach to improving access to preventive services. Their effectiveness in various settings and the ability to replicate them… Read more
There is increasing recognition in the field of international health and nutrition that gender inequities and dynamics are a major social determinant of health and nutrition outcomes. However, reviews of evidence to date have tended to concentrate on comparisons of health and nutrition outcomes, healthcare utilisation or coverage of services/programmes between boys and girls or… Read more
This paper reviews the evidence regarding the impact of conditional cash transfer (CCT) programmes on child nutrition outcomes. It was found that CCT programmes significantly improve child anthropometry but have very little impact on micronutrien status. The programmes also have a positive impact on several of the outcomes in the pathways to improved nutrition. Gaps… Read more
This literature review is based on an extensive analysis of the existing evidence on the impact of social protection programmes in the developing world. It assesses how the benefits of social protection could be maximized with specific regard to the different dimensions of children’s well-being. It was found that social protection can play a vital… Read more
This study looks at how cash interventions affect the immediate and underlying causes of malnutrition. It is based on a review of 54 evaluations and documents from humanitarian programmes since 2004. It states that theoretically there are a variety of ways that cash transfers could help protect and improve nutritional status, address immediate and underlying… Read more
This evidence paper analyses the existing literature focused on the impact of cash transfers on various development outcomes, including nutrition. While various methodologies are employed in the literature reviewed, the evidence suggests that recipients of cash transfers spend more on food, resulting in significant gains in children’s weight and height.
This systematic review focuses on the impact of agricultural interventions that aim to improve children’s nutritional status by improving the incomes and the diet of the rural poor. Covering the period 1990-2010, mixed results were found, with limited demonstrable impact of agricultural interventions on nutritional status. This was attributed to methodological weaknesses of the studies… Read more
This review assesses the efficacy and safety of home based management of SAM using therapeutic nutrition products or ready to use therapeutic foods (RUTF); and compares the efficacy of these products in comparison with F-100 (the standard facility based treatment) and home-based diet. The results indicate that systematic reviews and Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) showed… Read more
This review focuses on multiple micronutrient food fortification and examines the impact on school-age children. The authors study the impact on micronutrient status of the children, growth, health and cognitive development. Fortification of food is a practical way to provide extra micronutrients to children. Twelve eligible studies were reviewed, eleven of them tested the effects… Read more
This recent systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effect of peer support on duration of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Eleven randomized controlled trials utilising peer support in LMIC were reviewed and assessed for quality. Peer support was shown to significantly decrease the risk of discontinuing exclusive breastfeeding compared to the… Read more
This review summarises the evidence for the impact of maternal protein-energy supplementation on birth outcomes such as birth weight, size for gestational age and risk for stillbirth. The data shows a positive mean increase of 73g on birth weight, with the effect more pronounced in women who were undernourished. It also shows a 32 per… Read more