Issue 6, October 2011: New initiatives and resources from Alive & Thrive
This edition of the Alive & Thrive (A&T) newsletter features the launch of infant and young child feeding (IYCF) franchises in Viet Nam, various channels A&T is using to reach multiple audiences, and summaries of recent IYCF research.
Program Updates
Launch of Little Sun Franchises
The National Institute of Nutrition and A&T Viet Nam launched a franchise model to provide infant and young child feeding counseling services. This video gives an overview of the development and the opening of the franchises across Viet Nam.
IYCF Website in Viet Nam
The website, launched by the National Institute of Nutrition and A&T, provides information for mothers, caregivers, and health workers and an interactive forum for mothers to post questions. Visit the English version of the website and read a news release on the website launch.
Addressing nutrition through the non-formal education sector
A&T's multi-faceted communication strategy in Bangladesh includes outreach to low-literate adolescents and adults attending 7,000 learning centers. View an easy-to-read storybook (translated in English) on complementary feeding and find out how it was developed.
Celebration of World Breastfeeding Week
For the second year, A&T took part in activities for World Breastfeeding Week, an annual event celebrated in 170 countries worldwide. This year's theme focused on improving communication at various levels and between various sectors. Alive & Thrive worked closely with media, government, and in-country partners to build awareness in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Viet Nam. Read more about country activities and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation blog entry, titled "World Breastfeeding Week 2011: Spread the Word to Save a Life!"
Award of 12th small grant
The focus of the grant will be complementary food security in an urban slum in Haiti. Read a brief description of the project.
Abstract Digest
In each issue of Abstract Digest, Alive & Thrive summarizes recently published research, highlighting key information about infant and young child feeding practices as well as program implications. Clicking on the title will take you to the longer A&T summary.
In a cluster-randomized trial, Bangladeshi mothers who received education and coaching on responsive feeding and stimulation engaged in more interactive talk with their infants and provided more opportunities for child stimulation at home; their children also had better language skills and feeding behaviors.
A multi-country cluster randomized trial showed that exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) promotion by peer counselors in 3 sub-Saharan countries increased EBF rates. Low-intensity community-based individual breastfeeding counseling appears to be achievable in these settings.
A systematic review of 18 studies examining the association between breastfeeding and diarrheal disease determined that breastfeeding is protective against diarrhea incidence and prevalence; mortality due to diarrhea and all-cause mortality; and hospitalizations for diarrhea.
Data from three National Family Health Surveys in India showed little statistical support for the idea that childhood undernutrition could be addressed primarily through national economic growth.
A randomized controlled trial in Spain determined that 2 hours of skin-to-skin contact between mother-infant pairs helped regulate infant body temperature, expel the placenta, and increase rates of exclusive breastfeeding upon hospital discharge, but not at 1 month postpartum.