Précis of nutrition of children and women in Haiti: analyses of data from 1995 to 2012

Abstract

Between 1995 and 2012, many surveys including child and maternal nutrition indicators were conducted in Haiti. While many questions emerged from the results of those surveys, they have remained unanswered, in particular as they pertain to the determinants of poor children's and women's nutrition in Haiti. The purpose of this paper is to fill that gap and provide policymakers, program managers, and readers interested in nutrition issues in Haiti with information on (1) the trends and determinants of infant and young child feeding and food practices; (2) micronutrient deficiencies among children and women; (3) the status of severe acute malnutrition in children; (4) associations among women's empowerment, access to health care, water, and sanitation and child nutrition; (5) the current community-based early child care and nutrition initiatives; and (6) the status of nutrition governance in the country. By looking at many sources of data, including previously published and new data, we provide insight into major predictors of child malnutrition and associations among child feeding practices, maternal nutrition, and child growth outcomes. We also show that important progress has been made recently in the governance of nutrition programs and in child and maternal nutrition indicators, a result of effective evidence-based advocacy, partnerships, and design, implementation, and scale-up of nutrition-specific and sensitive interventions.