The role of nutrition-sensitive interventions in improving nutritional outcomes: findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis

de Hoop, Thomas and Molotsky, Adria and Walcott, Rebecca and Gaitán-Rossi, Pablo and Hernández-Cordero, Sonia and Laar, Amos and Behmer, Torben and Nguyen, Hoa Thi Mai and Chakrabarti, Averi and Siwach, Garima and Ranjit, Varsha and Lara-Mejía, Vania and Franco-Lares, Bianca and Vilar, Mireya UNSPECIFIED (2025) The role of nutrition-sensitive interventions in improving nutritional outcomes: findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal for Equity in Health, 24 (1). ISSN 1475-9276

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Abstract

Background Maternal and child undernutrition remains a major global health concern despite modest progress. Accelerating reductions in stunting and wasting will require increased investments in nutrition-sensitive interventions, which target nutrition impacts outside of the healthcare setting. This review examines the effects of four types of nutrition-sensitive interventions —cash/food transfers, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, water/sanitation/hygiene, and school nutrition— on maternal and child nutrition outcomes and dietary diversity. Methods We synthesized the evidence using an initial broad search and synthesis for nutrition-sensitive interventions, followed by targeted searches and syntheses for specific interventions and nutrition outcomes. Meta-analyses were performed to evaluate the impacts of cash transfers and agricultural interventions, while a narrative synthesis was produced for additional nutrition-sensitive interventions. Additionally, qualitative synthesis was incorporated to provide insights into the relationship between implementation context and program effectiveness. Results Our initial evidence synthesis included 260 quantitative studies, and additional targeted searches produced 72 eligible articles. Meta-analyses reveal positive impacts on dietary diversity for cash transfers without nutrition-specific components (0.14 SMD; 95% CI: 0.06–0.22), and some nutrition-sensitive agricultural interventions (0.24 SMD; 95% CI: 0.11–0.37). Cash transfers have larger effects on dietary diversity when they include behavior change communication or other nutrition-specific elements (0.41 SMD; 95% CI; 0.15–0.66), whereas agriculture programs with nutrition-specific elements do not show larger effects on dietary diversity than those without. Narrative syntheses indicate that homestead food production interventions may reduce anemia, school feeding interventions may improve anthropometric outcomes, and WASH interventions are most effective when combined with other nutrition initiatives. Conclusions We find consistent evidence that nutrition-sensitive programs contribute to dietary diversity and may have small but positive effects on nutrition outcomes, such as anthropometric outcomes and anemia. Integrating nutrition into social protection, agriculture, and education sectors is essential for addressing the underlying causes of malnutrition, such as dietary diversity.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Nutrition-sensitive interventions, Maternal and child nutrition outcomes, Nutrition, Stunting, Dietary diversity, Anemia
Subjects:	Subjects > Nutrition
Divisions:	Ibero-american International University > Research > Scientific Production
Depositing User:	Sr Bibliotecario
Date Deposited:	09 Dec 2025 09:36
Last Modified:	09 Dec 2025 09:36
URI:	http://repositorio.funiber.org/id/eprint/17884

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