To the extent possible, lessons learned and best practices are provided on how to implement nutrition activities. But the choice of methods and processes should be based on an understanding of the immediate, underlying, and basic causes of malnutrition in the locality. The focus of implementation is for the health staff to enable caregivers, families, and communities to take charge of their own nutrition. The examples in this guide can help managers understand how nutrition activities were planned and implemented in different settings, the type and quantity of resources needed, and helpful tools. The inclusion of some, but not all, of the relevant nutrition-related information in this guide reflects the most frequently asked questions from health managers, topics that have newly issued guidelines, topics without other reference documents, and topics with hard to access information.
Guidance is provided on how to use the easily available reference materials.
Chapter 3 describes the steps required to plan improved nutrition interventions. Chapters 4 and 5 provide guidelines for implementing priority nutrition actions in health facilities and communities, respectively. Chapter 6 provides the main elements of a district communications program for nutrition. Chapter 7 discusses the systems supports required to implement nutrition interventions. Chapter 8 provides the current international recommendations and protocols for priority nutrition interventions.