Effectiveness of a community-based infant and young child feeding support group programme among ethnic minorities in Vietnam

This article was published in the ENN Field Exchange on September 2018 (Issue 58), and shares the key findings and learning from the evaluation of a child nutrition programme in Northern-Vietnam. What this article adds: Community-based infant and young child feeding (IYCF) support groups were established in a remote northern region of Vietnam from 2012 to 2017 to provide breastfeeding support, complementary feeding support and IYCF information to community members. An impact evaluation was carried out in July 2017 using propensity score matching to compare changes in IYCF knowledge and practices and prevalence of stunting in children under two years old between a group that received the intervention (149 households) versus a control group (227 households) from 37 villages. Findings showed some impact on IYCF knowledge (among mothers and caregivers on breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices), but limited impact on practice (significant impact only for minimum dietary diversity and handwashing) and no impact on stunting or acute malnutrition. In future, the authors propose that similar interventions should be informed by barrier analysis; care groups should be delivered at greater intensity, and multiple channels should be used to deliver social and behaviour change communication interventions (including antenatal clinics and health facilities).