Landscape analysis – Assessing countries' readiness to scale up nutrition actions in the WHO African region

The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of the Landscape Analysis to assess strengths and weaknesses in combating malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Landscape Analysis is an inter-agency initiative to assess gaps and constraints and to identify opportunities for effective nutrition actions in order to accelerate intersectoral action for improving nutrition. In-depth Country Assessments to evaluate countries' "readiness" to scale up nutrition action have been conducted since 2008 in Sub-Saharan Africa. "Readiness" was assessed in terms of the  commitment and capacity of each country and the focus was high stunting burden countries. The main focus was countries with heavy burden of undernutrition. From 2008 to September 2011, a total of 14 countries had undertaken the Landscape Analysis Country Assessment. Nine of them were in Africa: Burkina Faso, Comoros, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, and South Africa. Three additionalcountries (Guinea, Namibia and Tanzania) were also planning to complete the Landscape Analysis Country Assessment in early 2012.From the findings in the nine countries, the following recommendations have beenmade:• Existing nutrition architectures and coordination mechanisms should bestrengthened and better utilized;• Nutrition needs to be mainstreamed and integrated in relevant sector policies;• Advocacy at high levels is needed to highlight the importance of the lifecourseperspective, focusing particularly on nutrition interventions frompreconception until the first two years of life;• National nutrition policies need to be translated into programmatic actions;• Human resource capacity for public health nutrition needs to be built with highquality in-service trainings in the short-term and long-term strategies toprovide pre-service trainings;• Community-based outreach should be strengthened by using existingchannels;• National nutrition surveillance systems need to be strengthened to ensure adequate use of data for monitoring, evaluation, and planning purposes.As part of the implementation of the 2010 World Health Assembly resolution on Infant and Young Child Nutrition (WHA 63.23) WHO has proposed a process to help countries in developing scale-up plans, which incorporates the Landscape Analysis Country Assessment as a tool to help countries in undertaking the initial context mapping. The countries that have already undertaken an in-depth Country Assessment, such as the Landscape Analysis Country Assessment, are ready to move forward in implementing the next steps in developing scaling-up plans to accelerateaction in nutrition. At the same time, WHO will support additional countries that have expressed interest in conducting the Country Assessment

Schools as a system to improve nutrition: A new statement for school-based food and nutrition interventions

This paper asserts that schools offer a unique platform from which to realize multiple benefits for children and their communities, while helping to achieve the SDGs. Furthermore, schools can exert influence beyond the student population, serving as a foundation for the involvement of teachers, parents and other community members. Intervention can catalyze community development, bring about social protection and economic empowerment, influence agricultural production systems to deliver diverse and nutritious foods, promote lifelong healthy-eating habits, and address basic health, hygiene, and sanitation issues that affect wellbeing. By providing a better health and living environment, schools have the potential to not only support education, but also underpin mainstream nutrition activities in communities and advance child development (Patton et al. 2016)

Landscape Analysis - Assessing Countries' Readiness To Scale Up Nutrition Actions In The Who African Region

The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of the Landscape Analysis to assess strengths and weaknesses in combating malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa. The Landscape Analysis is an inter-agency initiative to assess gaps and constraints and to identify opportunities for effective nutrition actions in order to accelerate inter- sectoral action for improving nutrition. In-depth Country Assessments to evaluate countries' "readiness" to scale up nutrition action have been conducted since 2008 in Sub-Saharan Africa. "Readiness" was assessed in terms of the commitment and capacity of each country and the focus was high stunting burden countries. The main focus was countries with heavy burden of undernutrition. From 2008 to September 2011, a total of 14 countries had undertaken the Landscape Analysis Country Assessment. Nine of them were in Africa: Burkina Faso, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, and South Africa. Three additional countries (Guinea, Namibia and Tanzania) were also planning to complete the Landscape Analysis Country Assessment in early 2012. From the findings in the nine countries, the following recommendations have been made: Existing nutrition architectures and coordination mechanisms should be strengthened and better utilized; Nutrition needs to be mainstreamed and integrated in relevant sector policies; Advocacy at high levels is needed to highlight the importance of the lifecourse perspective, focusing particularly on nutrition interventions from preconception until the first two years of life; National nutrition policies need to be translated into programmatic actions; Human resource capacity for public health nutrition needs to be built with high quality in-service trainings in the short-term and long-term strategies to provide pre-service trainings; Community-based outreach should be strengthened by using existing channels; National nutrition surveillance systems need to be strengthened to ensure adequate use of data for monitoring, evaluation, and planning purposes. As part of the implementation of the 2010 World Health Assembly resolution on Infant and Young Child Nutrition (WHA 63.23) WHO has proposed a process to help countries in developing scale-up plans, which incorporates the Landscape Analysis Country Assessment as a tool to help countries in undertaking the initial context mapping. The countries that have already undertaken an in-depth Country Assessment, such as the Landscape Analysis Country Assessment, are ready to move forward in implementing the next steps in developing scaling-up plans to accelerate action in nutrition. At the same time, WHO will support additional countries that have expressed interest in conducting the Country Assessment

Regulamentação da propaganda de alimentos infantis como estratégia para a promoção da saúde Regulation of publicity for children's food as a strategy for promotion of health

As práticas alimentares da população brasileira vêm se alterando nas últimas décadas e a publicidade é um dos fatores que contribuem para esta situação. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o conteúdo das propagandas de alimentos veiculadas na televisão e dirigidas a crianças, sob a ótica da regulação. As propagandas foram gravadas em fitas VHS de duas grandes emissoras de televisão, no período de férias escolares. Foram utilizadas técnicas de análise de conteúdo e definidas oito categorias de análise a partir do referencial teórico sobre as práticas alimentares e seus determinantes. Para subsidiar a análise utilizou-se a proposta de Regulamento Técnico da Anvisa. Foram contabilizadas 1018 propagandas, das quais foram selecionadas as 132 (12,9%) que anunciavam alimentos dirigidos para as crianças, sendo identificados somente 12 produtos diferentes. De acordo com o Regulamento proposto, todas as propagandas analisadas infringiam pelo menos três artigos, entre os quais se destaca o 4º, Incisos III e VIb. É nítida a urgência do setor público de regular o conteúdo das propagandas de alimentos infantis, cujo consumo pode ser prejudicial à saúde devido à influência que exercem na decisão pela compra, tanto por parte das próprias crianças, quanto dos pais.<br>The eating habits of the Brazilian population have been changing in recent decades and publicity is one of the factors contributing to this situation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the content of food publicity broadcast on television and addressed to children, from the standpoint of regulation. The publicity broadcast on the two major television stations during the school holidays was recorded on VHS tapes. Content analysis techniques were used and eight categories of analysis were defined based on the theoretical benchmark of the eating habits and their determining factors. The proposal for a Technical Regulation of Anvisa was used to conduct this analysis. 1018 advertisements were recorded, of which 132 (12.9%) that advertised foods targeted at children were selected, but only 12 different products were identified. According to the proposed regulation, all the material analyzed violated no less than three articles, among which the 4th, Sections III and VIb stand out. The pressing need for government regulation of the content of food advertisements for children, the consumption of which can be harmful to health, is clearly apparent because of its influence on the decision to purchase, both by the children themselves, and their parents