Compact2025 News in Brief: December 7, 2016

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement releases annual progress report for 2016. Among the highlights: Bangladesh reduces stunting to 36.1% from 38.7% in 2011; Nepal reduces stunting to 37.4% from 40.5% in 2011; and Ecuador reduces stunting to 14% from 20.6% in 2008.

Women’s empowerment is significantly associated with maternal and child health outcomes such as antenatal care, child mortality, full vaccination, nutritional status, and exposure to violence, according to a systematic review of quantitative measures of women’s empowerment.

New study of the impacts of Asia’s Green Revolution on child nutrition finds that Bangladesh’s rapid growth in rice yields is linked to weight gain--but not height gain--in young children, and is also associated with earlier introduction of solid foods--but not dietary diversification--for infants.

FAO releases Compendium of Indicators for Nutrition-sensitive Agriculture to assist program implementers in monitoring the impact of food and agriculture investments on nutrition.

FAOSTAT increases data domains and enhances user friendliness through better search options and data filters.

Agricultural extension program using locally produced videos to promote nutrition to women's groups in rural India finds that while the nutrition content was well-received, delivering it required more time and technical support than traditional agriculture-oriented messages.