THE INF AT WORK

Applied research projects funded by the INF contribute to the understanding or resolution of nutrition-related health problems worldwide. Projects must comply with the INF goal of enhancing indigenous problem-solving capabilities.

RESEARCH
The INF has often facilitated and/or managed the organization of research, case studies, program reviews and technical consultations. In some cases, the INF also manages the funding for projects. Examples are:

     • Determining the functional consequences of iron deficiency in Indonesia, Egypt, and Thailand.
     • Intra-familial food distribution patterns in Bangladesh.
     • Neonatal screening for endemic hypothyroidism in Ecuador.
     • Iron fortification of wheat flour in Venezuela.
     • Appropriate growth standards for breast-fed infants in collaboration with INNS and WHO.
     • Lysine fortification of wheat flour in Pakistan, China and Syria.
     • Lysine supplementation and stress response.
     • Essential amino acid requirements in India.
     • Anemia prevention and control project reviews in five Central Asia countries.
     • Infant feeding practices in Uzbekistan.
     • Research on food systems and policies.
     • Collection and collation of materials and development of a manual on home and village prepared weaning foods.

PROJECTS
The INF supports and manages several international projects.

WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS, CONFERENCES AND TECHNICAL CONSULTATIONS
The INF organizes and/or joins in the support of workshops, seminars and conferences initiated by academic and research institutions in any country. For this it receives support from regional and international professional organizations, or from international agencies and NGOs. Preference is given to multidisciplinary workshops that deal with significant food or nutrition issues for populations in developing countries. The INF seeks to build institutional and professional capacities by increasing current knowledge, promoting research priorities and methodologies as well as operational recommendations for action.

Recent consultations organized and facilitated by the INF include:

     • Development of Consensus on Key Issues for the Prevention and of Iron Deficiency (1998).
     • UNICEF/WHO Regional Consultation on the Prevention and Control of Iron Deficiency and Complementary Feeding in the CEE/CIS region (Geneva: 1999).
     • Development of Consensus on Key Issues for the Prevention and Control of Iron Deficiency (New York:1998).
     • Technical Workshop on Prevention and Control of Anemia in Children Less than Two Years of Age (Ottawa: 2002).

NUTRITION PUBLICATIONS
The INF publishes the Food and Nutrition Bulletin and also has several other books and monographs dealing with food and nutrition issues, many of them subsidized for free distribution in the developing world.

• Preventing Iron Deficiency in Women and Children: Background and Consensus on Key Technical Issues and Resources for Advocacy, Planning and Implementing National Programmes

• Prevention and Control of Iron Deficiency Anaemia in Women and Children--Report of the UNICEF/WHO Regional Consultation

• Community Assessment of Natural Food Sources of Vitamin A - Guidelines for a Ethnographic Protocol

• Rapid Assessment Procedures (RAP) - Ethnographic Methids to Investigate Women's Health

• A Manual for the Use of Focus Groups

• Rapid Assessment Procedures (RAP) to Improve the Household Management of Diarrhea

• The Nutrition and Health Transition of Democratic Costa Rica

• La Transición de la Nutrición y la Salud de Costa Rica Democrática

• Culture, Environment, and Food to Prevent Vitamin A Deficiency

• Rapid Assessment Procedures - Qualitative Methodologies for Planning and Evaluation of Health Related Programmes

• Community-based Longitudinal Nutrition and Health Studies: Classical Examples from Guatemala, Haiti and Mexico

• Le Manuel des Groupes Focaux

• Hygiene Evaluation Procedures: Approaches and Methods for Assessing Water - and Sanitation - related Hygiene practices

• Procédures d'évaluation Sanitaire: Approches et Méthodes pour l'évaluation des Pratiques d'hygiène relatives à l'eau et à l'assainissement

• Procedimientos para la Evaluaciòn de la higiene - Enfoques y Métodos para Evaluar prácticas de Higiene Relacionadas con el Agua y Saneamiento