Current practice and future directions of nutrition education in developing countries, a research and policy assessment

THIS REPORT REVIEWS RECENT EFFORTS IN RESEARCH AND ACTION PROGRAMS IN NUTRITION EDUCATION, NOTING DEVELOPMENTS THAT CAUSED IMPORTANT CHANGES TO BE MADE IN THE FIELD IN THE EARLY 1970"S. THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS ARE DISCUSSED WITH A FOCUS ON TRENDS IN THE PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE FIELD, SPECIFIC THEMES AND OBJECTIVES, AUDIENCES, AND METHODOLOGIES. RECENT POLICY STATEMENTS AND ACTIONS BY MAJOR INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO NUTRITION PROGRAMS IN LDCS ARE EXPLORED. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT THESE STATEMENTS AND ACTIONS COMPRISE A NEW TYPE OF POLICY WHICH WILL GUIDE INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE IN HEALTH AND NUTRITION. DEVELOPMENTS ARE RESEARCHED WHICH BEAR DIRECTLY ON THE PRACTICE OF NUTRITION EDUCATION IN RELATED FIELDS SUCH AS DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION, FAMILY PLANNING, APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY, AND SOCIAL MARKETING. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH AND PROGRAMMING IN THE FIELD CONCERN: GATHERING COMPREHENSIVE DATA IN LDCS, CONTINUED TESTING OF METHODOLOGIES, COST-BENEFIT STUDIES, AND BASIC RESEARCH ON BEHAVIOR CHANGE.