Health Status Of Young Children Research Articles

A quasi-experimental study assessing the effectiveness of a community-based egg intervention in the nutritional and health status of young children from rural Honduras.

This community-public-private-academic coalition project implemented and evaluated the effectiveness of a rural, community-based egg intervention that aimed to support the nutrition and health of children living in rural, poor communities from Intibucá, Honduras, during the COVID-19 pandemic. This investigator-blind, non-randomized, controlled study was informed by a community health improvement process and participatory research. Women from 13 communities were given a microloan to start an egg farm that supplied 1 egg daily to 201 children ages 6-24 months for 1 year (intervention group). Control communities (n = 14) were selected from neighboring municipalities with similar sociodemographic backgrounds based on size. Sociodemographic-, anthropometric-, and morbidity data were collected biannually between January 2021 to January 2022. Outcome changes were compared with linear-, generalized- or Poisson- mixed models adjusted by sex, age, maternal education, breastfeeding status, assets, adults living at home, baseline outcomes, and community-cluster. Baseline to 6- and 12-month weekly frequency of egg intake significantly increased in the intervention vs. the control group: 6-month change = 1.86; 95%CI (1.61, 2.14); 12-month change = 1.63; 95%CI (1.42, 1.87 p<0.001), respectively. Baseline to 12-month changes in the intervention group were not significant for length/height-for-age-z-scores = 0.12, p = 0.187; weight-for-length/height-z-scores = -0.02, p = 0.78; and diarrhea prevalence, AOR = 1.69; 95%CI (0.53, 5.42), p = 0.378. Lower odds of respiratory infections were observed for the intervention vs. the control group at 6- and 12-month post: AOR = 0.28; 95%CI (0.12, 0.63), p = 0.002; AOR = 0.30; 95%CI (0.12, 0.75), p = 0.010, respectively. Children in the intervention group reported consuming eggs more days per week relative to the control group. Lower odds of respiratory infections were observed in the intervention group throughout the study. Ongoing follow-up will offer more insights on the intervention's effectiveness in linear growth, dietary diversity, food security, and other nutritional outcomes.

P24-096-23 Hens Hatching Hope: A Community-Based Egg Project Aiming To Improve Nutritional and Health Status of Young Children in Rural Honduras

P24-096-23 Hens Hatching Hope: A Community-Based Egg Project Aiming To Improve Nutritional and Health Status of Young Children in Rural Honduras

Assessment of nutrient intake and antenatal education method for pregnant women in Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia

Introduction: Nutrient intake for pregnant women was associated with the health status of young children from infancy to adolescents. Antenatal education increases the awareness of nutrient importance for pregnant women. The purpose of this study was to describe the nutritional consumption of pregnant women in terms of the method of antenatal education. Methods: Cross-sectional study involving 150 pregnant women in Gianyar Regency. They were selected using a cluster random sampling technique. Nutrition consumption data was collected using a 24-hour food recall form. The first interview was conducted on workdays to collect the sociodemographic and obstetric data, the data on the implementation of antenatal education, and 24-hour dietary recall. The second interview was conducted on the weekend, to collect the data on a 24-hour dietary recall. Results: The results showed that there was no significant difference (p&gt;0.05) in the average consumption of macro and micronutrients for pregnant women in terms of antenatal education methods. The level of consumption of macro and micronutrients was almost all below the nutritional adequacy rate, only protein consumption was in accordance with the nutritional adequacy rate. The results of the analysis of factors related to nutritional consumption showed that there was a significant relationship (p=0.021) between the education factor with calcium consumption. Age, occupation, and gravida factors were not related to the nutritional consumption of pregnant women. Conclusions: The conclusion of this study was no difference in the nutritional consumption of pregnant women in terms of antenatal education methods. The consumption of macro and micronutrients for pregnant women was almost all below the nutritional adequacy rate

Translation and cultural adaptation of the Health Utilities Preschool to Brazilian Portuguese

IntroductionHealth research is particularly important in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where improvements must be achieved with limited resources, and where the great majority of the world's population, especially children, live. Improvements in public health detection in Brazil have resulted in cancer becoming the most prevalent cause of death by disease in the group aged 1 to 19 years, hence, delivering cost-effective care to the group is a priority. Preference-based measures of health status and health-related quality of life (HRQL) integrate morbidity and mortality and provide utility scores for the estimation of quality-adjusted life years to be used in cost-effectiveness analyses and economic evaluation. The generic preference-based instrument Health Utilities - Preschool (HuPS) measures the health status of young children and is applicable to the age group 2 to 5 years, who carry the highest incidence of cancer in childhood. MethodsThe translation of the HuPS classification system followed recommended protocols from published guidelines. Forward and backward translations were performed by a team of six qualified professionals and linguistic validation was undertaken with a sample of parents of preschool children. Main resultsInitial disagreements on individual words occurring in 0.5-1.5% were resolved by consensus. A final version of the instrument was validated by the sample of parents. ConclusionsThe translation and cultural adaptation of the HuPS into Brazilian Portuguese were accomplished as the first step in the validation of the HuPS instrument in Brazil.

Assessing data in planning the provision of early assistance services to children and their families as part of the formation of interdepartmental interaction: regional experience

Introduction. One of the priority areas in the implementation of the national project “Demography” is supporting the family and strengthening the health of the younger generation. Data on the increase in the number of children who, in the early stages of development, are diagnosed with psychophysical development disorders of various severity and structure of expression, pose important tasks for regional authorities to modernize comprehensive care and create a model of interdepartmental interaction in the provision of early assistance services to children and their families in order to prevent negative scenarios for child development. The purpose of our article is to analyze the modern system for recording data on identifying and providing services to young children, and the experience of organizing early care for children and their families. Methods. Data is used on the health status of young children living in the Chelyabinsk region (Russian Federation) for 2020 – 157,459 children, 2021 – 218,249 children; 2022 – 137,978 children. A method of compiling and grouping statistical observation materials was used, which allows for an analysis of the numerical composition of young children at risk receiving early assistance services, the structure of institutions and organizations in the field of health care, education and social protection of the population of state and municipal forms of ownership on the basis of which services are provided early assistance in the region. Results. It has been established that in the region, the system for collecting, analyzing and systematizing statistical data on children classified as a target group and receiving early assistance services is based on federal statistical reporting forms. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the data obtained allows us to say that 100% of children in the target group receive early intervention services. At the same time, conclusions were drawn about a clear underestimation of the potential capabilities of the education system (18% of children in the target group) and social protection of the population of the region (4% of children in the target group) to create conditions for the provision of early assistance services. The use of such a form of statistical method of “observation” as reporting analysis made it possible to identify a pattern that reveals a trend of annual increase in the detection of the number of children in the target group at each subsequent stage of age development (on average by more than 75%). Conclusion. Prospects for developing a model for the development of early care in the region are based on the need to: take into account data on the individual characteristics of children’s health; their inclusion in the system of habilitation and rehabilitation measures carried out within maximum walking distance for the family by specialists with the required level of professional competence; ensuring the implementation of an individual child rehabilitation program in the regional system of interdepartmental interaction.

Risk factors for health problems in children born weighing less than 1500 g

Achievements of perinatal medicine and a higher survival rate of children born with extremely low weight require an improvement in the dynamic observation of this category of children at an early age.Purpose. This study aimed at studying the health status of young children with disabilities caused by diseases of the nervous system, born weighing less than 1500 grams, with an analysis of morbidity, physical development, emotional status, and autonomic regulation.Results and conclusion. A clinical and functional study of 74 children born with a body weight of less than 1500 grams made enabled the authors to identify the peculiarities of their health and physical development in the first year of life, to identify risk factors, and to develop a method for predicting the formation of cerebral palsy by one year of life in these children. Consequently, pediatricians and neurologists will be able to timely carry out preventive measures for children from a high-risk group.

Зависимость здоровья детей раннего возраста, поступающих в детское дошкольное учреждение, от социального статуса семей

Objective. To evaluate the health status of young children entering preschool institutions depending on the social status of their families. Patients and methods. This study included 375 children aged 2 to 3 years attending kindergarten No. 239 in Kemerovo. Mean age of children was 25.91 ± 2.52 months. All study participants were divided into several groups according to their social status: from two-parent families (TPF; n = 339), including those with registered marriage (RM; n = 258) and unregistered marriage (UM; n = 81), and from single-parent families (SPF; n = 36), including those living with divorced mothers (DM; n = 25) and single mothers (SM; n = 11). Results. Women living with their partners outside marriage had significant changes during their pregnancy, at the time of breastfeeding and introduction of complementary foods; every fourth woman smoked. Every third child from two-parent families with an unregistered marriage had group III health (p = 0.0298). Vegetative complaints were significantly more common in families with divorced parents and unregistered marriage. Conclusion. Measures to promote healthy marriage and family relations should be implemented by teachers and psychologists at schools, other organizations for children and adolescents, specialized secondary and higher educational institutions. Key words: infants, health, single-parent family, two-parent family, social status

Effect of maternal employment on health status of pre-school children in an urban-slum of Bhubaneswar

Background: Women employment enhances household income and translates into better standard of living especially for children. That means maternal employment may benefit children’s health by increasing parent’s ability to buy high-quality food, good housing, and appropriate medical care. But, time spent at work may also decrease mother’s ability to care for and supervise children, leading perhaps to less healthy activities, such as eating poorly, unhygienically or engaging in too many unhealthy activities. This study tries to examine maternal employment as one potentially critical influence on the health status of young children in low-income families. The objectives were to assess the health status of preschool children and to find out the association between employment status of mothers and health status of their children of preschool age group.Methods: A community based cross sectional study was done involving mothers having at least one child and living in the urban health training center (UHTC) catchment area. A pretested semi structured questionnaire was used to assess the health status of the preschool children and the related variables.Results: 110 women were included in the study out of which 78 were not working/homemakers and 32 were employed. Immunization of children was better among employed mothers (81%) than children of unemployed mothers (67.9%). Hospitalization was also more among the children of non-working mothers.Conclusions: Employment somehow helps in better care for children which is reflected in the health status of the children and also by the immunization status.

WAYS OF MODERNIZATION OF MEDICAL AND SOCIAL ASSISTANCE IN CHILDREN’S HOMES

Results of the analysis and comparison of official statistics and selective studies of the health status of young children brought up in children’s homes and in the children’s population over the past decade are presented. It has been established that The state of health of charity-children of children’s homes by the nature and structure of disorders was established to differ from the state of health of children in the population. The authors propose to implement a number of measures to ensure the improvement of the quality of medical and psychological-pedagogical assistance to children with combined forms of pathology; to introduce in the child’s homes modern medical-psychological-pedagogical assistance to a severe contingent of children based on interdisciplinary interaction, to improve the system of gradual rehabilitation treatment and comprehensive medical rehabilitation of children of the first year of life, taking into account the structure of health disorders.

Trends in dental caries in children and adolescents according to poverty status in the United States from 1999 through 2004 and from 2011 through 2014

BackgroundExcept for a small increase in caries prevalence in young children from 1999 through 2004, the prevalence of pediatric caries in the United States has remained consistent for the past 3 decades. MethodsThe authors used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (from 1999 through 2004 and from 2011 through 2014) to ascertain changes in caries prevalence in youth aged 2 to 19 years. The authors evaluated changes in the prevalence of caries experience, untreated caries, and severe caries (3 or more teeth with untreated caries) in the primary, mixed, and permanent dentition according to poverty status. ResultsUntreated dental caries in the primary dentition decreased (24% versus 14%) for children aged 2 to 8 years regardless of poverty status from the period from 1999 through 2004 to the period from 2011 through 2014. Severe caries in primary teeth decreased between the period from 1999 through 2004 and the period from 2011 through 2014 for 2- to 8-year-olds (10% versus 6%). Among preschool-aged children in families with low incomes, caries experience decreased from nearly 42% to 35%, and untreated caries decreased from 31% to 18%. Furthermore, there were significant reductions in the number of carious dental surfaces and significant increases in the number of restored dental surfaces. Overall, there was little change in the prevalence of caries in older children and adolescents. ConclusionsThe prevalence of caries in primary teeth in preschool-aged children has improved in the previous decade in the United States; however, the prevalence of having no caries experience in permanent teeth in children and adolescents remains unchanged. Practical ImplicationsAlthough the oral health status of young children has improved in the previous decade, few changes have occurred for many older children and adolescents.

Effectiveness of Cereals and Soy Protein‐Based Formulas on Health Status of Young Children with Acute Diarrhea

This study aimed to compare the effects of three powder formulas based on rice, wheat, and barley on health status of young children with acute diarrhea. Three powder formulas were prepared; first formula (PRF) based on parboiled brown rice (30%) and hibiscus (5%); second formula (GWF) based on germinated wheat (30%) and chicory (5%); and 3rd formula (GBF) based on germinated barely (30%) and purslane (5%). The three formulas contained the same amounts from other food ingredients. This study carried out on 48 hospitalized children with acute diarrhea from Bab El Shaareya University Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. All children with inclusion criteria including age &lt;36 months, acute diarrhea for 3 days, and mild dehydration were enrolled in the study. The children were classified into four groups (12 each) all of them received routine treatment in addition to suggested formula (160 g/day) except for control group who received routine treatment only. Blood samples for determination of complete blood picture, albumin, total protein, sodium, potassium and total solids were collected at baseline and after intervention. Also, consistency and frequency of stools were recorded every 3hrs. The results showed that failure to thrive was predominant among all studied children. The recovery from infections was faster in wheat group than other groups, also the recovery from diarrhea among wheat group was significantly the fastest than control and other groups (6.7±1.32 vs. 9.3±3.2, 8.1±2.57, and 8.1±3.85 days respectively). In conclusion, wheat based formula had the greatest and fastest effect on infection and diarrhea parameters among young children.

Socio-Economic Background Of Households and Health Status of Young Children (3-5 Years of Age) “A Case Study of Village Battle-Ballian, Udhampur”

Socio-Economic Background Of Households and Health Status of Young Children (3-5 Years of Age) “A Case Study of Village Battle-Ballian, Udhampur”

Estimation of salivary biomarkers in passive smoking children - a comparative study

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between passive smoking and salivary biomarkers like pH, buffering capacity and flow rate, sialic acid and amylase levels in children who were passive smokers and compare with the control group. Materials and Methods: Fifty children with history of passive smoking and 50 healthy age matched controls were included in the study. Details on smoking habits of household members, child’s dental and dietary habits were collected using a proforma. Saliva samples were collected from both the groups and salivary analysis was done for pH, buffering capacity, flow rate, sialic acid levels and amylase levels. Results: The results of the study showed a lower salivary pH and flow rate with an increase in amylase activity and buffering capacity in passive smoking children when compared to healthy controls. However, sialic acid levels did not show significant differences between passive smoking children and control group.Conclusion: Passive smoking may reduce the protective properties of saliva which can further affect the oral health status of young children and any factor that influences the secretion rate or composition of saliva will ultimately influence caries susceptibility.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.15(2) 2016 p.160-165

Nutritional health attitudes and behaviors and their associations with the risk of overweight/obesity among child care providers in Michigan Migrant and Seasonal Head Start centers.

BackgroundChildren enrolled in Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) programs are at high risks of health problems. Although non-family child care providers play important roles on children’s health status as role models, educators, program deliverers, and information mediators, little is known about their nutritional health attitudes and behaviors, and weight status. Therefore, we investigated nutritional health attitudes and behaviors and their associations with overweight/obesity among child care providers in Michigan MSHS centers.MethodsA total of 307 child care providers aged ≥ 18 years working in 17 Michigan MSHS centers were included in this cross-sectional study conducted in 2013. An online survey questionnaire was used to collect data on nutritional health attitudes and behaviors of child care providers. Weight status was categorized into normal weight (18.5 ≤ BMI < 25 kg/m2), overweight (25 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m2), and obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) based on child care providers’ self-reported height and weight. Factor analysis was performed to investigate patterns of nutritional health attitudes and behaviors. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) of overweight/obesity across tertiles of pattern scores taking the lowest tertile group as the reference group after adjustment for potential confounding variables.ResultsThree patterns of nutritional health attitudes and behaviors were identified: pattern 1) “weight loss practices with weight dissatisfaction”, pattern 2) “healthy eating behaviors”, and pattern 3) “better knowledge of nutrition and health”. The pattern 1 scores were positively associated with overweight/obesity (Tertile 2 vs. Tertile 1: OR = 5.81, 95 % CI = 2.81–12.05; Tertile 3 vs. Tertile 1: OR = 14.89, 95 % CI = 6.18–35.92). Within the pattern 2, the OR for overweight/obesity in individuals with the highest scores was 0.37 (95 % CI = 0.19–0.75) compared with those with the lowest scores. However, the pattern 3 was not associated with the risk of overweight/obesity.ConclusionsOur findings support that nutrition education or health interventions targeting MSHS child care providers are urgently necessary. These efforts might be an efficient and effective approach for improving the nutritional health status of young children enrolled in MSHS programs.

Transitions Into Food Insecurity Associated With Behavioral Problems And Worse Overall Health Among Children.

Children living in food-insecure households face myriad challenges to their well-being. The Great Recession of December 2007-June 2009 increased food insecurity to the highest levels ever measured in the United States. Using nationally representative data from the period 2010-12 for 6,300 children in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11, with household incomes below 300 percent of the federal poverty level and a dynamic measure of food insecurity transitions, we assessed the impact of transitions into and out of household food insecurity on the academic achievement, behavioral problems, and health status of young children. We found negligible impacts of food insecurity transitions on academic achievement in first grade. However, we found consistent negative impacts of the transitions on teachers' reports of children's externalizing behaviors, self-control, and interpersonal skills and on parents' reports of children's overall health status. Taken together, our findings underline the importance of food security for children's healthy development.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Early Childhood Obesity: Growth Trajectories in Body Mass Index.

The aims of this study are to describe growth trajectories in the body mass index (BMI) among the major racial and ethnic groups of US children and to identify predictors of children's BMI trajectories. The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) was used to identify predictors of BMI growth trajectories, including child characteristics, maternal attributes, home practices related to diet and social behaviors, and family sociodemographic factors. Growth models, spanning 48 to 72months of age, were estimated with hierarchical linear modeling via STATA/Xtmixed methods. Approximately one-third of 4-year-old females and males were overweight and/or obese. African-American and Latino children displayed higher predicted mean BMI scores and differing mean BMI trajectories, compared with White children, adjusting for time-independent and time-dependent predictors. Several factors were significantly associated with lower mean BMI trajectories, including very low birth weight, higher maternal education level, residing in a two-parent household, and breastfeeding during infancy. Greater consumption of soda and fast food was associated with higher mean BMI growth. Soda consumption was a particularly strong predictor of mean BMI growth trajectory for young Black children. Neither the child's inactivity linked to television viewing nor fruit nor vegetable consumption was predictive of BMI growth for any racial/ethnic group. Significant racial and ethnic differences are discernible in BMI trajectories among young children. Raising parents' and health practitioners' awareness of how fast food and sweetened-beverage consumption contributes to early obesity and growth in BMI-especially for Blacks and Latinos-could improve the health status of young children.

Health care access disparities among children entering kindergarten in Nevada

The objective of this study was to advance our understanding and appreciation of the health status of young children in the state of Nevada in addition to their discrepancies in accessing health care. This study used the 2008-2009 Nevada Kindergarten Health Survey data of 11,073 children to assess both independent and combined effects of annual household income, race/ethnicity, primary language spoken in the family, rural/urban residence, and existing medical condition on access to health care. Annual household income was a significant predictor of access to health care, with middle and high income respondents having regular access to care compared to low income counterparts. Further, English proficiency was associated with access to health care, with English-speaking Hispanics over 2.5 times more likely to have regular access to care than Spanish-speaking Hispanics. Rural residents had decreased odds of access to preventive care and having a primary care provider, but unexpectedly, had increased odds of having access to dental care compared to urban residents. Finally, parents of children with no medical conditions were more likely to have access to care than those with a medical condition. The consequences for not addressing health care access issues include deteriorating health and well-being for vulnerable socio-demographic groups in the state. Altogether these findings suggest that programs and policies within the state must be sensitive to the specific needs of at risk groups, including minorities, those with low income, and regionally and linguistically isolated residents.

Accelerating improvements in nutritional and health status of young children in the Sahel region of Sub-Saharan Africa: review of international guidelines on infant and young child feeding and nutrition.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child holds governments responsible to ensure children's right to the highest attainable standard of health by providing breastfeeding support, and access to nutritious foods, appropriate health care, and clean drinking water. International experts have identified key child care practices and programmatic activities that are proven to be effective at reducing infant and young child undernutrition, morbidity, and mortality. Nevertheless, progress towards reducing the prevalence of undernutrition has been sporadic across countries of the Sahel sub-region of Sub-Saharan Africa. In view of this uneven progress, a working group of international agencies was convened to 'Reposition children's right to adequate nutrition in the Sahel.' The first step towards this goal was to organize a situational analysis of the legislative, research, and programmatic activities related to infant and young child nutrition (IYCN) in six countries of the sub-region: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal. The purposes of this introductory paper are to review current information concerning the nutritional and health status of infants and young children in the Sahel and to summarize international guidelines on optimal IYCN practices. These guidelines were used in completing the above-mentioned situational analyses and encompass specific recommendations on: (i) breastfeeding (introduction within the first hour after birth, exclusivity to 6 months, continuation to at least 24 months); (ii) complementary feeding (introduction at 6 months, use of nutrient dense foods, adequate frequency and consistency, and responsive feeding); (iii) prevention and/or treatment of micronutrient deficiencies (vitamin A, zinc, iron and anaemia, and iodine); (iv) prevention and/or treatment of acute malnutrition; (v) feeding practices adapted to the maternal situation to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV; (vi) activities to ensure food security; and (vii) the promotion of hygienic practices concerning food preparation and storage and environmental sanitation. The following papers in this issue will present results of the situational analyses for the individual countries.

Situational analysis of infant and young child nutrition policies and programmatic activities in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.

Progress towards reducing mortality and malnutrition among children <5 years of age has been less than needed to achieve related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), so several international agencies joined to 'reposition children's right to adequate nutrition in the Sahel', starting with an analysis of current activities related to infant and young child nutrition (IYCN). The main objectives of the situational analysis are to compile, analyse, and interpret available information on infant and child feeding, and the nutrition and health situation of children <2 years of age in Mauritania as one of the six target countries (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal). These findings are available to assist countries in identifying inconsistencies and filling gaps in current programming. Between August and November of 2008, key informants responsible for conducting IYCN-related activities in Mauritania were interviewed, and 46 documents were examined on the following themes: optimal breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices, prevention of micronutrient deficiencies, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), management of acute malnutrition, food security, and hygienic practices. Mauritania is on track to reaching the MDG of halving undernutrition among children <5 years of age by 2015. National policy documents, training guides, and programmes address nearly all of the key IYCN topics, specifically or generally. Exceptions are the use of zinc supplements in diarrhoea treatment, prevention of zinc deficiency, and dietary guidelines for preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Substantial infrastructure capacity building was also recently implemented in nutritionally high-risk regions, and increases were reported in exclusive breastfeeding rates among children <6 months. The recent National Behaviour Change Communication Strategy is intended to address the needs of adapting programme activities to local needs. Despite these noteworthy accomplishments, the prevalence of acute malnutrition remains high, mortality rates did not decrease as malnutrition rates decreased, the overall prevalence of desirable nutrition-related practices is low, and human resources are reportedly insufficient to carry out all nutrition-related programme activities. Very little nutrition research has been conducted in Mauritania, and key informants identified gaps in adapting international programmes to local needs. Monitoring and evaluation reports have not been rigorous enough to identify which programme activities were implemented as designed or whether programmes were effective at improving nutritional and health status of young children. Therefore, we could not confirm which programmes might have been responsible for the reported improvements, or if other population-wide changes contributed to these changes. The policy framework is supportive of optimal IYCN practices, but greater resources and capacity building are needed to (i) support activities to adapt training materials and programme protocols to fit local needs, (ii) expand and track the implementation of evidence-based programmes nationally, (iii) improve and carry out monitoring and evaluation that identify effective and ineffective programmes, and (iv) apply these findings in developing, disseminating, and improving effective programmes.

Seminar on young child nutrition: improving nutrition and health status of young children in indonesia.

The Seminar on Young Child Nutrition: Improving Nutrition and Health Status of Young Children in Indonesia held in Jakarta on November 2009 reviewed the current nutritional and health status of young children in Indonesia and identified key nutrient deficiencies affecting their optimal growth. The continuation of child growth from fetal stage is of paramount importance; and maternal and child health should be a central consideration in policy and strategy development. Clinical management of nutrient deficiency and malnutrition, as well as strategies and education to improve feeding practices of young Indonesian children were discussed in the seminar. Relevant experiences, approaches and strategies from France, New Zealand and Malaysia were also shared and followed with discussion on how regulatory systems can support the development of health policy for young children. This report highlights important information presented at the seminar.