 Comparing Preventive and Recuperative Approaches to Targeting Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition Programs in Haiti
FANTA's five-year effectiveness study on food-assisted nutrition programs demonstrated that a preventive approach is more effective in reducing child malnutrition than a recuperative approach: after three years, the prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting was significantly lower in the preventive communities than in communities where a recuperative approach had been used.
In preventive approaches to food-assisted maternal and child health and nutrition programs, food is provided to all children 6-24 months in target areas with a high prevalence of malnutrition, thus supporting growth and preventing malnutrition. In recuperative approaches, food is used to rehabilitate children (typically those under five) already suffering from malnutrition.
The study was supported by USAID, WFP and GTZ, and carried out in partnership with the International Food Policy Research Institute, Cornell University and World Vision/Haiti. The results, Age-based preventive targeting of food assistance and behavior change and communication for reduction of childhood undernutrition in Haiti: a cluster randomized trial, were published in The Lancet.
 The article is available from The Lancet with required free registration
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