Hidden hunger arising from iron, folate and vitamin B12 is highly prevalent in India with increased negative impact on pregnancy and foetal neurodevelopment. Development of a comprehensive strategy should be a national priority to ensure all women and adolescent girls receive these nutrients in sufficient amounts

This special issue brings together studies showing how crucial maternal nutrition including micronutrient adequacy, before and during pregnancy are for later life with guidance on proper diets to appropriate weight gain during pregnancy. Using various methodologies, it captures the diversity and complexities of research focused on the impact of nutrition on maternal, fetal health and perinatal outcomes

Vitamin A deficiency and soil-transmitted helminth infection are serious public health problems in Kenya. The coverage of vitamin A supplementation and deworming medication (VASD) provided through mass campaigns is generally high, yet with a cost that is not sustainable, while coverage offered through routine health services is low. Alternative strategies are needed that achieve the recommended coverage of >80% of children twice annually and can be managed by health systems with limited resources. This study was undertaken from September to December 2021 to compare the feasibility and coverage of VASD locally delivered by community health volunteers (CHV) (“intervention arm”) to that achieved by the bi-annual Malezi Bora campaign event (“control arm”). This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in sub-counties of Siaya County using both qualitative and quantitative methods. VASD were offered through the CHS in Alego Usonga and through Malezi Bora in Bondo Sub-County. With sufficient training and oversight, CHV can achieve superior coverage to campaigns.

Micronutrient (MN) deficiencies are a major public health problem in developing countries including Ethiopia, leading to childhood morbidity and mortality. Effective implementation of programs aimed at reducing MN deficiencies requires an understanding of the important drivers of suboptimal MN intake. This study aimed to identify important predictors of MN deficiency among children ages 6-23 months in Ethiopia using machine learning algorithms. This study employed data from the 2019 Ethiopia Mini Demographic and Health Survey (2019 EMDHS) and included a sample of 1,455 children aged 6-23 months for analysis. Machine Learning (ML) methods including, Logistic Regression (LR), Random Forest (RF), Naive Bayes (NB), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Neural Network (NN) were used to prioritize risk factors for MN deficiency prediction. Performance metrics including accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (AUROC) curves were used to evaluate model prediction performance. The RF algorithm outperformed other ML algorithms in predicting child MN deficiency in Ethiopia. Based on the findings of this study, improving women’s education, increasing exposure to mass media, introducing MN-rich foods in early childhood, enhancing access to health services, and targeted intervention in the eastern region are strongly recommended to significantly reduce child MN deficiency.

USAID Advancing Nutrition provides a summary of a study carried out in the Kyrgyz Republic between 2018-2023, with the aim to improve the nutritional status of populations that are most vulnerable to malnutrition i.e., women of reproductive age and children under five years of age. The report highlights achievements made including and not limited to training of community activists and health workers, establishment and strengthening of multi-sectoral platforms, supervision guidelines and strengthening of health reporting systems in order to effect sustainable solutions to improving the nutritional status of the population.

Attention is drawn to the relatively slow progress in intervention efforts against micronutrient deficiencies in India despite the countries existing robust policies and leadership support. This brief report highlights the strategy by Alive & Thrive to engage professional medical associations while leveraging their networks to develop working policies and procedures, enhance advocacy and build enough capacity to influence policy implementation by health providers across the country.

Pregnancy is a critical window during which the health and nutritional status of a mother has extremely great impact on a child’s future physical and mental health. There is growing evidence on the importance and effectiveness of antenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) in reducing risks of stillbirth, low-birth weight and small-for-gestational age. Other than use of MMS, this article also encourages interventions such as education, and introduction of complementary feeding practices among others, and provides a cost-benefit analysis of these interventions.

This study done in India assessed whether nutritional supplements given during the pregnancy period was associated with selected health indicators such as extremely low birth weight, very low birth weight, low birth weight as well as neonatal mortality with evidence-based conclusions that nutritional supplementation for pregnant women is crucial for the health of their children.

Women’s diet and nutritional status during pregnancy are important in influencing birth outcomes. This research review of Malaysia identifies several factors regarding the association between dietary intake and anthropometry on birth outcomes. There were increased cases of low birth weight where folic acid, niacin, iron, calcium and vitamin D fell short of the recommended dietary intakes, confirming that emphasis should be given on maternal health and nutrition to reduce the risk of low birth weight.

Despite numerous interventions over the years, malnutrition levels remain elevated in Kenya. Hence, Kakamega County leadership (in the western region of Kenya) and Multi-Sectoral Nutrition (MSN) stakeholders with the help of USAID Advancing Nutrition developed targets for the scale-up of nutrition interventions in the region. This policy brief by USAID strongly advocates for increased investment in nutrition interventions among others in order to address the high levels of undernutrition, including wasting and stunting in the region.