Prevalence and factors associated with anaemia among pregnant women attending reproductive and child health clinics in Mbeya region, Tanzania.

Anaemia is a global public health issue, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations such as pregnant women. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of anaemia and to identify factors associated with the condition among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in the Mbeya Region of Tanzania. A cross sectional study was conducted with 420 pregnant women (<28 weeks of gestation) attending antenatal visits in the 7 districts of the Mbeya Region.

Diets of infants and young children in two counties of Kenya: Key drivers and barriers to improvement.

Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are influenced by many context-specific factors related to local food systems as well as social and cultural practices. Understanding these local contextual perspectives is essential for designing effective programs and policies. This paper uses focused ethnographic study methods to examine challenges experienced by mothers related to IYCF in two counties in Kenya, a country with considerable heterogeneity in agriculture, food systems, and cultures.

Risks to the delivery of essential nutrition services in Eastern and Southern Africa in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: without timely action, the global prevalence of child wasting could rise by a shocking 14.3% as a result of disruption of nutrition services by fear, stigma, and various government restrictions to curb COVID-19. Therefore, timely action should be emphasized to ensure continued provision of essential health and nutrition services such as vitamin A supplementation, timely identification and treatment of wasting, provision of micronutrients, and promotion of improved infant and young child feeding (IYCF) in the region.

Estimates of child mortality reductions attributed to vitamin A supplementation in sub-Saharan Africa: scale up, scale back, or refocus?

Background: Vitamin A supplementation (VAS) has been implemented in over 82 countries globally, primarily because of its beneficial effect in preventing child mortality. Secular reductions in child mortality and the implementation of alternative programs to promote vitamin A intake have led to questions on the need for national VAS programs.

Objectives: This study aimed to estimate child mortality changes related to VAS using current, scale-back, and scale-up coverage scenarios.

Affordability of nutritious foods for complementary feeding in Eastern and Southern Africa.

Low intake of diverse complementary foods causes critical nutrient gaps in the diets of young children. Inadequate nutrient intake in the first 2 years of life can lead to poor health, educational, and economic outcomes. In this study, the extent to which food affordability is a barrier to consumption of several nutrients critical for child growth and development was examined in Ethiopia, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

Micronutrient gaps during the complementary feeding period in 6 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa: a Comprehensive Nutrient Gap Assessment.

Insufficient quantity and inadequate quality of foods in early life are key causes of all forms of malnutrition. Identification of nutrient and dietary gaps in the diets of infants and young children is essential to inform policies and programs designed to improve child diets. A Comprehensive Nutrient Gap Assessment was used to assess the public health significance of nutrient gaps during the complementary feeding period and to identify evidence gaps in 6 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa.

Implications of Updating the Minimum Dietary Diversity for Children Indicator for Tracking Progress in the Eastern and Southern Africa Region.

Minimum dietary diversity (MDD), a population-level dietary quality indicator, is commonly used across low- and middle-income countries to characterize diets of children aged 6-23 mo. The WHO and UNICEF recently updated the MDD definition from consumption of ≥4 of 7 food groups in the previous 24 h (MDD-7) to ≥5 of 8 food groups (MDD-8), adding a breastmilk group. The implications of this definition change were examined across 14 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa where improving complementary feeding is a policy priority.

Spotlight on Global Malnutrition: A Continuing Challenge in the 21st Century.

Malnutrition as undernutrition, overnutrition, or an imbalance of specific nutrients, can be found in all countries and in both community and hospital settings around the world. The prevalence of malnutrition is unacceptably high in all settings and affects children, adolescents, pregnant women, and sick and older adults. Malnutrition has multiple underlying issues (food insecurity, chronic and acute illnesses, sanitation and safety, and aging in the community), which need to be addressed.