Modalities
Provision of foods to improve the quality of the diet can be delivered using the following platforms:
- Blanket supplementary feeding to all 24–59 months – take home rations or onsite feeding.
- Additional targeted ration provided as part of household support/general food assistance.
- MCHN support through health services/programmes.
Conditions and considerations
- Whilst under two-year-olds may be more at risk of developing acute malnutrition and mortality (than children over two years), in many humanitarian contexts, access to quality diet and good quality health and other nutrition sensitive services as well as household and family practices for nutrition can be severely disrupted, such that those who would normally be relatively well protected from undernutrition become vulnerable. Therefore, where context analysis highlights vulnerabilities and risks in this older age group, and where resources allow, providing additional foods/fortified products in the form of local foods, and SFFs has been found to be effective in reducing the risk of wasting and MND in this age group.
- For SQLNS specifically, WHO recommends targeting under 2s (6–23 months) largely because (at the time of writing) evidence on use of these products for prevention exists only for this age group. However, these products may be effective at reducing the risk of undernutrition in older children where circumstances require their use.
- Other Conditions and considerations are similar to those listed under complementary feeding 6–23 months.