relation: http://repositorio.unini.edu.mx/id/eprint/17884/ canonical: http://repositorio.unini.edu.mx/id/eprint/17884/ title: The role of nutrition-sensitive interventions in improving nutritional outcomes: findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis creator: de Hoop, Thomas creator: Molotsky, Adria creator: Walcott, Rebecca creator: Gaitán-Rossi, Pablo creator: Hernández-Cordero, Sonia creator: Laar, Amos creator: Behmer, Torben creator: Nguyen, Hoa Thi Mai creator: Chakrabarti, Averi creator: Siwach, Garima creator: Ranjit, Varsha creator: Lara-Mejía, Vania creator: Franco-Lares, Bianca creator: Vilar, Mireya subject: Alimentación description: 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. date: 2025-11 type: Artículo type: PeerReviewed format: text language: en rights: cc_by_nc_nd_4 identifier: http://repositorio.unini.edu.mx/id/eprint/17884/1/s12939-025-02596-y.pdf identifier: Artículo Materias > Alimentación Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana México > Investigación > Artículos y libros Abierto Inglés 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. metadata de Hoop, Thomas; Molotsky, Adria; Walcott, Rebecca; Gaitán-Rossi, Pablo; Hernández-Cordero, Sonia; Laar, Amos; Behmer, Torben; Nguyen, Hoa Thi Mai; Chakrabarti, Averi; Siwach, Garima; Ranjit, Varsha; Lara-Mejía, Vania; Franco-Lares, Bianca y Vilar, Mireya mail SIN ESPECIFICAR (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 relation: http://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-025-02596-y relation: doi:10.1186/s12939-025-02596-y language: en