Evaluation methods for child feeding projects in developing countries, final report : Chapt. I, introduction and summary

THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE DESIGN AND RESULTS OF A PILOT STUDY TO DETERMINE WHETHER SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING PROGRAMS AT FIVE SITES IN THREE COUNTRIES COULD BE EFFECTIVELY ASSESSED BY MEANS OF A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY. IN EACH OF THE COUNTRIES (COLOMBIA, THE PHILIPPINES, AND KENYA), NATIONAL SURVEY RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS GATHERED BACKGROUND INFORMATION, INTERVIEWED PARTICIPANTS AND NONPARTICIPANTS IN PROGRAMS CONDUCTED AT MATERNAL-CHILD HEALTH CENTERS AND SCHOOL PROGRAMS, AND MEASURED PARTICIPATING CHILDREN. THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY WERE TOO AMBIGUOUS TO BE USED AS A BASIS FOR MAKING JUDGMENTS CONCERNING THE RELATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE FEEDING PROGRAMS EXAMINED. HENCE THE METHODOLOGY, AS TESTED, CANNOT BE RECOMMENDED AS A PROVEN APPROACH THAT IS CLEARLY SUPERIOR TO OTHER EVALUATION METHODOLOGIES CURRENTLY IN USE. EMPHASIS IN FUTURE STUDIES SHOULD BE PLACED ON OBJECTIVELY VERIFIABLE PHYSICAL MEASUREMENTS OF THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF CHILDREN; ON DETERMINATION OF THE ACTUAL RATION SIZE SERVED AT THE SITE; AND ON THE ACCURATE DETERMINATION OF LENGTH OF EXPOSURE TO THE PROGRAM. THERE ALSO NEEDS TO BE TESTED AND OBSERVABLE INDICATORS OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY BACKGROUND; SHORTER AND SIMPLER SURVEY INSTRUMENTS; A LARGER NUMBER OF SITES IN A COUNTRY; AND THE INCORPORATION OF A LONGITUDINAL OR TIME DIMENSION THROUGH MANY SITE OR COHORT MEASUREMENTS.