Data systems and their usage are of great significance in the process of tracking malnutrition and improving programs. The key elements of a data system for nutrition include (1) data sources such as survey and administrative data and implementation research, (2) systems and processes for data use, and (3) data stewardship across a data value chain. The nutrition data value chain includes the prioritization of indicators, data collection, curation, analysis, and translation to policy and program recommendations and evidence based decisions. Finding the right fit for nutrition information systems is important and must include neither too little nor too much data; finding the data system that is the right fit for multiple decision makers is a big challenge. Developed together with NITI Aayog, this document covers issues that need to be considered in the strengthening of efforts to improve the availability and use of data generated through the work of POSHAN Abhiyaan, India’s National Nutrition Mission. The paper provides guidance for national-, state-, and district-level government officials and stakeholders regarding the use of data to track progress on nutrition interventions, immediate and underlying determinants, and outcomes. It examines the availability of data across a range of interventions in the POSHAN Abhiyaan framework, including population-based surveys and administrative data systems; it then makes recommendations for the improvement of data availability and use. To improve monitoring and data use, this document focuses on three questions: what types of indicators should be used; what types of data sources can be used; and with what frequency should progress on different indicator domains be assessed.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and other global nutrition and health agencies recommend nutrition actions throughout the life-course to address malnutrition in all its forms. As global recommendations are updated based on available evidence, it is anticipated that governments and stakeholders will, in turn, build on these recommendations to update national policies and programs. Little is known in the South Asia region about policy coherence with globally recommended actions. Even less is known about the degree to which countries are able to track their progress on nutrition actions. To address the gap, this brief summarizes the policy and program gaps in addressing nutrition actions, along with data gaps in population-based surveys in all the countries in the South Asia region, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

Nutrition-specific interventions are aimed at improving the food, health, and care environment for women and children during the first 1000 days. These interventions span pregnancy, postnatal, and early childhood periods and include food and micronutrient supplementation, nutrition education and/or counselling, growth monitoring and promotion, as well as routine immunization, deworming, and care during illness. At 90% coverage, these interventions can contribute to 20% reduction in stunting and 61% reduction in severe wasting. India’s policy framework for health and nutrition is robust and includes most evidence-based nutrition and health interventions. Two large-scale national program platforms – the Integrated Child Development Services and the National Health Mission – together deliver these interventions across the country. India’s efforts at scaling up nutrition interventions are now also bolstered by the National Nutrition Mission. This Data Note describes the coverage of key nutrition and health interventions for which data are available in the National Family Health Surveys for 2015-2016 and 2019-2021. To examine coverage of interventions, indicators were created based on global definitions and making adaptations to Indian policy context where necessary. Data on women of reproductive age (15-49 years) with a child below five years of age from the most recent birth was used to compute these indicators. Indicator definitions are provided in Annex 1 of this Note.

This Data Note provides an update on the prevalence of anemia and its determinants in India at state and districts levels, as well as coverage of a nutrition specific and nutrition sensitive interventions. Data were from the National Family Health Surveys in 2005 06, 2015 2016 and 2019 21. We first report national trends for 8 population groups (Figure 1 below). For each population group, we show anemia prevalence by severity category and at state and district levels using the two latest rounds of data. Lastly, we show recent trends in determinants of anemia and, nutrition and health interventions.

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