To identify the drivers and challenges of successful nutrition programme implementation in a multisectoral, community-level approach to improve infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in northern Burkina Faso.

A qualitative study was conducted in 2019 through (i) individual interviews with key informants from five different sectors (health, agriculture, environment, livestock and education) and association staff, agents and community leaders and (ii) focus groups with mothers of children under the age of 2 years.

Three health districts in the northern region of Burkina Faso implemented a multisectoral community nutrition programme to improve IYCF practices.

Forty-seven implementing actors and twenty-four beneficiary mothers.

Factors influencing successful implementation include community participation; sector commitment and involvement; the existence of nutrition champions; capacity building; the integration of interventions; micronutrient powder distribution; the introduction of nutrition-sensitive interventions, such as the promotion of the consumption of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes; improved food production and small livestock rearing and the effective coordination of actors and complementary funding. The main challenges of the implementation of multisectorality are low participation among nutrition-sensitive sectors, a tendency for siloed work among sectors, scheduling conflicts, high actor mobility, differences in the target population by sector, a lack of technical skills among community workers, insufficient financial resources, low geographic convergence and coverage of beneficiaries, a lack of a multisectoral monitoring mechanism and accountability and insecurity.

Strengthening sector participation, identifying a common targeting strategy and mobilising financial resources have the potential to significantly reduce barriers and improve the quality of implementation.

To assess under real community settings the effectiveness of the WHO strategy of home fortification of foods (HFF) with multiple-micronutrient powders on Hb change, anaemia and weight in children.

A pragmatic cluster-randomized controlled trial.

Forty villages in the Nioro Circle in Mali and 722 children aged 6–23 months were randomized to the intervention or control group. The intervention consisted of a daily dose of multiple-micronutrient powder for 3 months; in the control group, no supplement was given. In both groups, mothers received group education on child complementary feeding. Changes in weight, Hb concentration and anaemia were assessed as primary outcomes at baseline and 3 months. The HFF effect was determined using regression analyses and quantile regression with standard errors taking account of the cluster design.

Children aged 6–23 months.

Overall prevalence of anaemia in the sample was high: 90 %. HFF provided a modest but statistically significant Hb change v. no intervention (0·50 v. 0·09 g/dl, P=0·023). Prevalence of anaemia changed little: 91·3–85·8 % (P=0·04) in the intervention group v. 88·1–87·5 % % (P=0·86) in the control group. Proportion of severe anaemia was reduced by 84 % (from 9·8 to 1·6 %) in the intervention group, but increased in the control group (from 8·5 to 10·8 %). No effect was observed on weight.

The WHO HFF strategy to fight anaemia showed a modest change on Hb concentration and significantly reduced the rate of severe anaemia.

Adequate iodine and Fe intakes are imperative during pregnancy to prevent fetal defects, but such data are not available in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We aimed to assess iodine and Fe status in pregnant women from Lubumbashi.

Cross-sectional study. We measured urinary iodine concentration (UIC) in random urine samples using a modified Sandell–Kolthoff digestion method; the WHO reference medians were used to classify iodine intake as deficient, adequate, more than adequate or excessive. Serum ferritin concentrations were measured by immunoenzymatic assay and considered insufficient when <12 ng/ml.

Maternity units from rural, semi-urban and urban areas of Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Two hundred and twenty-five randomly selected pregnant women attending prenatal consultation, seventy-five postpartum women and seventy-five non-pregnant women as controls.

Overall median UIC in pregnant women was 138 (interquartile range: 105–172) μg/l, indicating iodine deficiency, whereas postpartum and non-pregnant women had adequate iodine intake: median UIC = 144 μg/l and 204 μg/l, respectively. Median UIC values were lower in late pregnancy than in early pregnancy: in the first, second and third trimester respectively 255 μg/l, 70 μg/l and 88 μg/l in the rural area; 306 μg/l, 166 μg/l and 68 μg/l in the semi-urban area; and 203 μg/l, 174 μg/l and 99 μg/l in the urban area. Fe was insufficient in 39 % of pregnant women compared with 21 % of non-pregnant and postpartum women. In the third trimester, deficiencies in both iodine and Fe were high: 40 %, 12 % and 18 % in the rural, semi-urban and urban areas, respectively.

Our data suggest that pregnant women are at risk of iodine and Fe deficiencies in Lubumbashi. Country policies fighting against iodine and Fe deficiencies during pregnancy should be reinforced.

To assess the effect of an improved local ingredient-based gruel fortified or not with selected multiple micronutrients (MM) on Hb concentration of young children.

In a nutrition centre that we opened in their villages, children received either MM supplement (containing iron, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin C and iodine) with the improved gruel (MMGG) or the improved gruel only (GG), twice daily, 6 d/week, for 6 months. We assessed baseline and endpoint Hb concentration and anthropometric indices.

Kongoussi, a rural and poor district of Burkina Faso.

In a community-based trial, we randomly assigned 131 children aged 6–23 months with Hb concentrations in the range of 80–109 g/l into two groups.

The groups did not differ significantly at baseline. Mean baseline Hb concentration was 89·2 (sd 6·5) g/l and 90·3 (sd 8·4) g/l in the GG and the MMGG, respectively (P = 0·42). It increased to 104·1 (sd 11·4) g/l in the GG (P < 0·001) and 107·6 (sd 14·7) g/l in the MMGG (P < 0·001). The between-group difference of 3·5 (95 % CI −1·0, 8·1) g/l in mean (sd) endpoint Hb concentration was not significant (P = 0·13). The endpoint anthropometric indices were not different between the groups.

This MM supplement had no additional effect on Hb concentration. Thorough studies are needed to evaluate the actual efficacy of the gruel before its introduction into household routine.