Review of recent innovations in portable child growth measurement devices for use in low- and middle-income countries.

Improving nutritional status is fundamental to addressing challenges in child health in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and a priority for international organisations such as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). Despite the global consensus that child growth is a key indicator of child nutrition and health, the development of low-cost, accurate and child-friendly growth measurement devices that are fit for purpose in LMICs remains elusive. Recognising these limitations, UNICEF recently published a Target Product Profile (TPP) calling for the development of new state-of-the-art height and length measurement devices.

Bridging barriers to advance multisector approaches to improve food security, nutrition and population health in Nepal: transdisciplinary perspectives.

Background: Understanding stakeholders' perceptions is crucial to the development and implementation of any intervention. However, a structured approach to eliciting stakeholder insights into complex, multisector issues of food security, household environment and health is lacking in many low and middle-income countries. This qualitative, workshop-based participatory study explores stakeholders' experiences of developing and implementing multisector interventions to provide transdisciplinary lessons for future developments in low and middle-income countries.

Type and extent of trans-disciplinary co-operation to improve food security, health and household environment in low and middle income countries: systematic review.

Background: Although linkages have been found between agricultural interventions and nutritional health, and the development of clean fuels and improved solid fuel stoves in reducing household air pollution and adverse health effects, the extent of the potential of combined household interventions to improve health, nutrition and the environment has not been investigated. A systematic review was conducted to identify the extent and type of community-based agricultural and household interventions aimed at improving food security, health and the household environment in low and middle income countries.

Methods: A systematic search of Ovid MEDLINE, PUBMED, EMBASE and SCOPUS databases was performed.

The effect of exposure to biomass smoke on respiratory symptoms in adult rural and urban Nepalese populations.

Background: Half of the world's population is exposed to household air pollution from biomass burning. This study aimed to assess the relationship between respiratory symptoms and biomass smoke exposure in rural and urban Nepal.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of adults (16+ years) in a rural population (n = 846) exposed to biomass smoke and a non-exposed urban population (n = 802) in Nepal.

Classroom carbon dioxide concentration, school attendance, and educational attainment.

Background: We tested the hypothesis that classroom carbon dioxide (CO2 ) concentration is inversely related to child school attendance and educational attainment.

Methods: Concentrations of CO2 were measured over a 3-5 day period in 60 naturally ventilated classrooms of primary school children in Scotland. Concentrations of CO2 were related to the class average annual attendance and proportions attaining a national standard for reading, writing, and numeracy, adjusted for socioeconomic status and class size.