title: Nutrition capacity development: a practice framework.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To outline a framework and a process for assessing the needs for capacity development to achieve nutrition objectives, particularly those targeting maternal and child undernutrition.
  
  
  METHODS
  Commentary and conceptual framework.
  
  
  METHODS
  Low- and middle-income countries. Result A global movement to invest in a package of essential nutrition interventions to reduce maternal and child undernutrition in low- and middle-income countries is building momentum. Capacity to act in nutrition is known to be minimal in most low- and middle-income countries, and there is a need for conceptual clarity about capacity development as a strategic construct and the processes required to realise the ability to achieve population nutrition and health objectives. The framework for nutrition capacity development proposed recognises capacity to be determined by a range of factors across at least four levels, including system, organisational, workforce and community levels. This framework provides a scaffolding to guide systematic assessment of capacity development needs which serves to inform strategic planning for capacity development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Capacity development is a critical prerequisite for achieving nutrition and health objectives, but is currently constrained by ambiguous and superficial conceptualisations of what capacity development involves and how it can be realised. The current paper provides a framework to assist this conceptualisation, encourage debate and ongoing refinement, and progress capacity development efforts.
authors: 1 Department of Global Community Health and Behavioural Sciences, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors: Roger
authors: R
authors: Shrimpton
authors: 2 Health Professional Education, School of Health Sciences, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
authors: Roger
authors: R
authors: Hughes
authors: 3 Departamento de Nutrição, Observatório de Políticas de Segurança Alimentar e Nutrição, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
authors: Elisabetta
authors: E
authors: Recine
authors: 1 Department of Global Community Health and Behavioural Sciences, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors: John B
authors: JB
authors: Mason
authors: 4 School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, Republic of South Africa.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Sanders
authors: 5 Nutrition Unit, School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors: Geoffrey C
authors: GC
authors: Marks
authors: 6 Public Health Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
authors: Barrie
authors: B
authors: Margetts
mesh_terms: D057191:Capacity Building; D019049:Developed Countries; D003906:Developing Countries; D061345:Early Medical Intervention; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D011634:Public Health / Q000592:standards; D013192:Staff Development; D017132:Workplace
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