Nutrition data use and needs: Findings from an online survey of global nutrition stakeholders
Research Snapshot1
Information on population-level nutritional status and nutritional determinants are typically collected through periodic national and sub-national surveys. However, there is growing global demand for improved country-level nutritional data. To justify investment for improved data collection, evidence of the demand for information is needed. To fill this gap, the authors conducted an online survey of nutrition professionals working in low- and middle- income countries to identify the nutrition indicators and data sources widely used and the current unmet nutrition information needs.
The online survey was disseminated through professional networks and online nutrition-focused listservs. Respondents were asked their professional background, how they use data in their work, which nutrition indicators and data sources they had accessed in the previous year and unmet data needs. The survey was completed by 235 respondents, the majority of whom were from non-governmental organisations and research entities. Few government officials responded to the survey.
Of those who accessed country-specific data in the last year, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) were the most common (74%) followed by Multiple-Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS). Most respondents had accessed at least one source of consolidated data in the last 12 months (75%) of which the most common was the Global Nutrition Report (GNR). Routine facility data sources such as the Health Management Information System (HMIS) were less accessed compared to household surveys.
Respondents with a multi-country focus were more likely to have accessed both the DHS and the GNR in the last year (85% and 82% respectively) compared to those with a single-country focus (60% and 66% respectively) (P < 0.001; P = 0.014 respectively). The most commonly accessed indicators overall were the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding (69%), child minimum dietary diversity (66%), stunting (65%) and wasting (65%).
Identified gaps in data include diet quality indicators, nutrition-sensitive intervention coverage and infant and young child feeding promotion coverage. Data challenges noted by the respondents were the lack of geographical disaggregation of data (82%), the lack of data for demographic groups (77%) or data being out of date (77%). Results point to the continued need for timely, high-quality nutrition data and greater investment in surveys.
1Buckland, A J, Thorne-Lyman, A L, Aung, T, King, S E, Manorat, R, Becker, L, Piwoz, E, Rawat, R and Heidkamp, R (2020). Nutrition data use and needs: Findings from an online survey of global nutrition stakeholders. Journal of global health, 10(2), 020403. https://doi.org/10.7189/jogh.10.020403
More like this
FEX: UNHCR feeding programme performance in Kenya and Tanzania
Summary of research1 Settlements of new arrivals in the outskirts of Dadaab Routine monitoring data are available from the many nutrition programmes operating in camps...
FEX: Capturing nutrition data for school-age children and adolescents
View this article as a pdf By Zakari Ali and Natasha Lelijveld Zakari Ali is Higher Scientific Officer at the MRC Unit, The Gambia Unit at the London School of Hygiene and...
FEX: Does economic growth reduce childhood undernutrition in Ethiopia?
Summary of research1 Location: Ethiopia What we know: Rapid economic growth in developing countries has had a mixed effect on human development; the impact on reducing...
FEX: Summary of Field Exchange user survey findings
The ENN extends thanks to Alex Bycroft Masters student, at Oxford Brookes University, UK who undertook a Field Exchange citations review, included in this summary, on a...
FEX: Improving the quality of nutritional survey data worldwide: Putting Child Kwashiorkor on the Map Initiative
By Lauren Browne Lauren Browne is the Data Manager for the Kwashiorkor Mapping project and joined the team after interning with ACF-UK and Save the Children UK. She completed...
FEX: Proposal of a Quality of Care Index
View this article as a pdf Summary of research1 Location: Global What we know: Efforts are needed to ensure provision of effective, high-quality care across health...
en-net: IYCF Evidence
I am currently reviewing a report about IYCF and breastfeeding effects in Bangladesh. They are not finding any evidence that breastfeeding or IYCF programs reduce either...
FEX: Demographic and Health Survey update core questionnaires
View this article as a pdf In October 2019, the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS)1 programme released updated DHS model questionnaires, which will be used during phase 8 of...
FEX: Contextual data collection in nutrition surveys in Ethiopia
Women carrying grass grown in the Awassa region of Ethiopia, which they sell in the market to get a small income. Summary of analysis1 The study described in this article was...
FEX: Improving nutrition information systems: lessons from Kenya
By Lucy Maina-Gathigi, Louise Mwirigi, Veronica Imelda, Dr Oleg Bilukha, Eva Leidman, Lucy Kinyua and Kibet Chirchir View this article as a pdf Lucy Maina-Gathigi is a...
FEX: Comparison of LQAS and 30-by-30 two-stage cluster sampled survey method for the assessment of coverage indicators
By Asrat Dibaba, Charles Chimombo, Ari Uotila, Whitney King and Mark Myatt Asrat Dibaba is the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Advisor for World Vision East Africa Region...
en-net: Digit preference
I'm just back from Ethiopia and speaking with some key people in the relevant government departments noticed a great emphasis being place on posterior (i.e. after survey)...
FEX: Weekly menu for midday meal in Bangladeshi schools: Caregivers’ choices
By Abu Ahmed Shamim, Jannaty Mayna, Ishrat Jahan, Syed Muntasir Ridwan and Rudaba Khondker View this article as a pdf Abu Ahmed Shamim is the Nutrition Advisor (Consultant)...
FEX: A digital messaging intervention and remote data collection to support ECD & nutrition: Telangana, India.
View this article as a pdf Reetabrata Roy is Programme Director at Sangath, India Khyati Tiwari is a Nutrition Specialist at the UNICEF office of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana...
FEX: Integrated Nutrition and Food Security Surveillance in Malawi
By Elena Rivero, Núria Salse and Eric Zapatero Elena Rivero is currently working for Action Against Hunger as Surveillance Advisor in the Malawi Integrated Nutrition and Food...
FEX: Summary of en-net user survey findings
By Tamsin Walters, en-net moderator In April and May 2015, the ENN undertook a user survey of en-net. An online survey was distributed to ENNs mailing list and an invite to...
FEX: Realising rights and livelihoods opportunities among tribal populations in rural India
By Salome Yesudas View this article as a pdf Lisez cet article en français ici Salome Yesudas works as a consultant with several organisations on local food systems...
FEX: Summary of Field Exchange Evaluation
From July to November 2012, the ENN undertook an evaluation of Field Exchange (FEX) use amongst its readers. The aims were to establish how FEX is used to inform programming,...
FEX: Casual factors of wasting in Africa: What can be gleaned from available data?
View this article as a pdf This article reviews available national data from Africa to examine to what extent wasting could be explained by the underlying causes of...
FEX: Adolescent nutrition mapping study: A global stakeholder survey of policies, research, interventions and data gaps
View this article as a pdf Summary of research1 Nutrition in school-aged children and adolescents can significantly impact lifelong health and wellbeing as well as the...
Reference this page
Nutrition data use and needs: Findings from an online survey of global nutrition stakeholders. Field Exchange 65, May 2021. p66. www.ennonline.net/fex/65/nutritiondataneeds
(ENN_7053)