Current Projects
Guatemala | Honduras | India
Guatemala:
Nutritional Intervention in Guatemala City Children's Nurseries
The Mathile Institute is seeking to develop a study within Guatemala’s municipal nurseries. We have identified that zinc deficiency is likely present in children at many of these nurseries. Based upon our preliminary assessment, we see the potential for a nutrition-intervention approach, which will provide micronutrient supplementation, including zinc and other at-risk vitamins and minerals, along with an additional meal to children in the nurseries. In addition, we are exploring opportunities to leverage the expertise of a leading local clinic that provides efficient and effective medical, dental, and nutrition education. This clinic incorporates women’s empowerment programs for underprivileged individuals living on the outskirts of Guatemala City.
Honduras:
Reaching Honduran Children and Their Families Through Collaboration
A collaborative relationship has been formed with Shoulder to Shoulder, a non-government organization with operations in Honduras and the University of North Carolina, School of Public Health. Our work involves addressing malnutrition in children under the age of two in the remote western region of Honduras. A commercially available, ready-to-feed nutritional product is being assessed for its ability to prevent malnutrition in young children. If the model is proven effective, which includes determining the product’s nutritional benefit, it will be used to develop an array of products for children under five.
The goal is to promote optimal macro and micronutrient intake that builds upon current habits and local practices. To ensure sustainability of our work in Honduras, education, communication and advocacy approaches will be customized to secure healthy nutrition practices and long-term behavior-change outcomes. The learnings from our Honduras work will be evaluated and customized for reapplication to other areas within Central America.
India:
A Project to Combat Iron and Iodine Deficiency Diseases in India
India has among the worst malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency rates in the world. Iron deficiency anemia in India is a major public health problem. The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia among pregnant women and young children is currently estimated at 50% and 74%, respectively.
The objectives of our work in India include delivering sustainable and effective broad-based dietary iron interventions through double fortified salt (DFS) and multiple micronutrient powders (MMPs), while developing a model that can be rapidly and effectively reapplied across India and in other countries. We are developing multi-level plans of action to eliminate iron deficiency anemia and hope to demonstrate functional outcome benefits and establish a viable micronutrient intervention model for the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Public Distribution Systems (PDS) schemes. One arm of this work involves the development of effective distribution of DFS and MMPs and behavior change communication and education plans within a selected state. This is a collaborative effort involving individuals from The Mathile Institute, The Micronutrient Initiative, Humanitas Global Development, and Fleishman-Hillard India.
The other facet of the work will be to assess the health and vigor of reproductive age women receiving DFS in West Bengal. The objective of this nutritional intervention is to improve the health of female tea pickers through double-fortified salt, reduce the prevalence of anemia, improve adult cognition, and generate data that demonstrates economic benefit. Economic productivity will be assessed by tea harvesting rates of plantation workers in northeastern India. The research team is comprised of representatives from The Mathile Institute, Micronutrient Initiative, Cornell University, McGill University, Penn State, CINI (the Indian NGO Child In Need Initiative).