(P22-34-26) Mapping of Nutrition Data Information Systems in a Changing Global Development Financing Context

Objectives: To quantify global and regional nutrition data availability as a basis for assessing vulnerabilities in information systems and identifying opportunities to close data gaps.

Methods: We mapped sources of Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger (SDG2) indicators to end all forms of malnutrition where multi-source databases exist. Information from 2000–2024 was compiled by country and data provider (Demographic and Health Survey Program [DHS], Living Standards Measurement Study [LSMS], Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey [MICS], National Nutrition Surveys [NNS], Standardized Monitoring and Assessment of Relief and Transitions [SMART], and Other [defined as ad hoc providers]). For each indicator, we calculated percentage of countries and population covered globally and regionally by provider.

Results: Globally, 53% of countries had data on anemia in women, 68% on anthropometric indices in children, 57% on exclusive breastfeeding (EB), and 46% on minimum dietary diversity in children (MDD-C), covering 86% to 98% of the world population. DHS was the main provider for anemia, largely in Africa covering 61% of countries in the region and 81% of the population. DHS and MICS were the primary providers for anthropometry, EB, and MDD-C, generally covering about one-third of countries and up to two-thirds of the population. These data were concentrated in Africa and Asia, with DHS covering a greater percentage of countries and a larger population than MICS. Anthropometry was the only indicator with a sizeable number of surveys from other established providers. The category “Other providers” was the largest source of data globally for anemia (38% of countries and 65% of population) and anthropometry (54% of countries and 70% of population) but not for EB (21% of countries and 30% of population) and MDD-C (4% of countries and 2% of population).

Conclusions: The current ability to track SDG2 targets, particularly in Africa and Asia, is at risk due to political shifts and financial constraints affecting major data providers. Sustaining this requires investment in providers, integration of nutrition data into alternative surveys, and strengthening surveillance and routine data systems with innovative modeling to estimate population-level representativeness.

Funding Sources: Gates Foundation; World Bank