Effects of Family and Community Based Approaches in Nutrition Interventions

Malnutrition may not only affect the body, but also may affect the relationships between family members and communities. Relationships may be repaired through adequate nutrition and interventions that are family-focused or community-based. This study's objective was to analyze the potential link between the success of nutrition interventions and the focus on building and repairing relationships within families and communities that could help in improving malnutrition relief efforts. The research question this research is studying is the following: do nutrition intervention programs that utilize a family-centered and/or community-based approach have improved nutrition outcomes? A survey was created and sent to public health organizations that had nutrition interventions in order to gain an understanding on the effects of malnutrition and possible solutions for malnutrition. Recruitment included sending surveys to 30 public health organizations internationally through email. Out of the 30 organizations the survey was sent to, 3 participated. Data was analyzed using a qualitative approach. The results suggested that nutrition interventions through family and community-based approaches may improve outcomes. Of the recorded responses, all agreed that the lack of nutrition or access to food places a strain on relationships. A limitation of this study is the small number of participants. As such, more research is needed on this topic.