Indicators for Country Profiles
We are pleased to share the draft list of indicators that we will be preparing for each country for the Global Nutrition Report. As our work proceeds, this list may well change for 2014.
The Indicators
The Country Profile Indicators Table contains over 70 indicators, with over 25 additional indicators considered, discussed but ultimately not included for the stated reasons.
The breakdown of included indicators is:
- Demographics: 5
- Anthropometry: 20
- Micronutrient status outcomes: 3
- Diet related risk factors for NCDs: 3
- Determinants: 18 (Immediate 2; Underlying, 13 Basic, 3)
- Intervention coverage: 11
- Financial Resources: 6
- Institutional/Legislative/Policy: 7
Because this is a global report, we have also made a concerted effort to include indicators of overweight, obesity and nutrition-related Non-Communicable Diseases. Out of the over 70 in total, there are approximately 20 of these:
- Percent population urban
- Percent population >65 years of age
- Percent of under 5’s who are overweight
- Adolescent obesity
- Adult overweight and obesity (x9)
- Hypertension
- Raised fasting blood glucose
- Raised cholesterol levels (Dyslipidaemia)
- High acquisition of calories
- Calorie supply from fruit and vegetables
- Income inequality
- Implementation of plans to manage diabetes and hypertension.
Some within-country disaggregations of a few of the anthropometric indicators will be presented.
General Criteria for Inclusion
Our general criteria for indicator inclusion are as follows:
- Consistent with a theory of change. They reflect a balance of outcomes, determinants, interventions, resources and enabling environment for measuring progress, diagnosing problems and prioritising actions
- Availability of data: quality -- meets a good enough standard (have been peer reviewed and are best available) and quantity (availability for >25 countries, arbitrary)
- Balance across lifecycle (still focused towards start of life, but mindful of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease and the importance of early life experience for NCDs)
- Balance between under and overweight/obesity/diet-related NCD (balance still more towards undernutrition but will improve in 2015 and 2016)
- Introduction of a potential new indicator which can then be explored in future research
Specific Criteria for Inclusion
- Nutrition status—risk factors for mortality, morbidity and development
- Determinants—evidence that they are associated with outcomes
- Interventions--evidence that they are effective
- Resources—on interventions and determinants (spending not screened for effectiveness of interventions and determinants)
- Enabling Environment (Policies, Legislation, Institutions)—thought to be important, evidence base thin
All assertions and claims are supported by authoritative publications and their citations are at the end of the Table.
If you have suggestions for the next Report (2015) please complete the Proposed Indicator Change Form and send it to us.