title: Community-based nutritional intervention for reducing malnutrition among children under 5 years of age in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
abstract: A project was conducted in a rural area in September 1994 with the aim of decreasing the incidence of protein-energy malnutrition among children under 5 years, by nutritional intervention through the primary health care system. An initial situation analysis revealed the region's resources and causes of malnutrition. Practical instruction on feeding methods, deworming, environmental sanitation, the promotion of home-grown vegetables and reinforcement of the growth monitoring programme were chosen as the routes for intervention. All indices were reassessed in the region after 1 year. Results showed that nutritional awareness had grown among mothers, and that the incidence of malnutrition had dropped from 6.5% to 1.8%, as measured against the weight-for-height index.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Public Health, Teheran University of Medical Science, Teheran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Malekafzali
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Abdollahi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mafi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naghavi
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000886:Anthropometry; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053198:Child Nutrition Sciences / Q000193:education; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003150:Community Health Workers / Q000458:organization & administration; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D020380:Needs Assessment; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012499:Sanitation