Nutrition
Oct 13, 2023
Poor families can struggle to afford staple foods, let alone nutrient-rich foods like vegetables, when prices increases. Photo: PATH.
In this time of post-pandemic economic recovery, many countries are confronting concurrent multiple challenges
Blog
Sep 20, 2023
A nurse administers a rotavirus vaccine in Kakamega County, Kenya. Photo: PATH/Anthony Karumba.
Nearly all African countries have introduced rotavirus vaccines or plan to do so within the next couple of years. The vaccines are safe, effective, and
Blog
Aug 01, 2023
A woman in a health clinic in Kenya breastfeeds while waiting for immunization. Breastfeeding can be done anywhere. Photo: PATH/Anthony Karumba.
Breastfeeding offers children vital health and nutritional benefits with positive lifelong impacts.
Blog
Nov 23, 2022
A health worker in Nepal prepares a typhoid vaccine. Photo: PATH.
When there is danger downstream, it helps to have a strategy—and the right equipment—before you find yourself in rough waters. In the shifting currents of global health, prevention
Blog
Aug 16, 2022
Squeamish about eating mealworms whole? Try mealworm powder! Photo: Jeff Miller, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Anyone who works in global health or nutrition knows that global food security is tenuous today, pressured by a growing population
Blog
Feb 17, 2022
Image from Waschulin V, and Specht, L. Cellular Agriculture: An Extension of Common Production Methods for Food. Washington D.C.: The Good Food Institute; 2018. Available at https://www.gfi.org/images/uploads/2018/03/Cellular-Agriculture-for-Animal-
Blog
Dec 16, 2021
The gut microbiome is an area of great interest for researchers and clinicians alike. While we know that the bacteria, viruses, and parasites that live in our gut have a huge impact on our health, we are still learning exactly which ones are most
Blog
Sep 30, 2021
The link between malnutrition and diarrheal disease is well-established, but understanding the precise mechanisms of the many connections remains a complex research frontier. Here’s one thing we do know: vitamin A is a key player in diarrhea
Blog
Jun 29, 2021
As the world brings their attention to advancing women’s rights with the Generation Equality Forum this week in Paris, let’s remember how vital a tool good nutrition is in achieving women's and girls’ empowerment.
Women are 50% more likely to
Blog
Oct 29, 2020
Baby Vusi receives a rotavirus vaccine while being held by his mother Teresa Jeri at the Chainda clinic in Zambia. New research suggests that malnourished children may be less likely to experience rotavirus diarrhea compared to children with normal
Blog
Oct 07, 2020
At DefeatDD, we advocate for simple tools to stop the cycle of diarrhea and malnutrition. Prioritizing access to these tools for women and girls does more than halt a bad cycle; it creates a positive cycle in their lives and, by extension, their
Blog
Aug 26, 2020
Food hygiene is an integral cross-section between WASH and nutrition, especially for young children under five. Translated from Nyanja as, “Have you washed your hands with soap and water?”, this bib was given to participants in the Hygienic Family
Blog
Jun 27, 2020
In this series, the Center for Global Development provides an overview of modeling data to help policymakers understand the many indirect impacts of the COVID-19 response, both on other disease areas and on health systems.
The key takeaway: "The
Published research
May 28, 2020
Janie Hayes soldiers forward on a long stretch of road near the Colorado-Wyoming border in the 2016 Trans America Bike Race. Photo credit: Anthony Dryer.
“I’m hungry.”
It’s a phrase you probably say often – I know I do. As an endurance
Blog
May 14, 2020
New IHME estimate show that countries such as Indonesia and Peru, pictured above, still experience substantial geographic disparities in diarrhea mortality. Source: IHME.
Diarrhea is the second leading infectious child killer in low- and middle
Blog
May 01, 2020
There is strong evidence linking safe WASH to health and nutrition, though nutrition is only one of many development outcomes from investment in WASH services. USAID has identified four recommendations for WASH programming that are likely to have
Factsheets
Apr 02, 2020
Preliminary findings from a new study by Food for the Hungry provide insight into the connection between maternal depression and the impact on the uptake of commonly promoted household-level health and nutrition behaviors in children. Photo: Jeff
Blog
Feb 20, 2020
“As climate and commercial threats intensify, WHO-UNICEF-Lancet Commission presses for radical rethink on child health,” opens the press release for the launch of the new report, A Future for the World’s Children?
The question mark is an unsettling
Blog
Jan 28, 2020
Note: This blog originally appeared on the Take on Typhoid website.
Today marks the first day of the 15th Asian Conference on Diarrhoeal Disease and Nutrition (ASCODD) taking place in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Ahead of the conference, I sat with Dr.
Blog
Oct 23, 2019
Diarrhea and malnutrition form a vicious circle together which, if not addressed, can threaten the lives of millions
Malnutrition is the root of various diseases. It is one of India’s most significant human development challenge threatening the
Blog
Jul 17, 2019
Just the facts: these high-level talking points on diarrheal disease tell you what you need to know about the global crisis and the solutions. Each bullet includes a link to more information. View and share the message map or the plain text below
Message maps
Jun 25, 2019
A new study in The Lancet Global Health, published alongside this commentary, summarizes a 12-month case-control study conducted as a follow-on to the Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS). Unlike the original GEMS study, which included patients
Published research
Jan 09, 2019
An amino acid–based oral rehydration solution is among the potential solutions to heal gut damage. Photo: PATH/Amy Gottlieb.
Adapted from an article that originally appeared on PATH.org.
The global diarrheal disease burden comes with
Blog
Nov 29, 2018
The 2018 Global Nutrition Report shares insights into the current state of global nutrition and echoes many messages that are critical to addressing diarrheal disease, such as more equitable access to solutions on a subnational level and the need
Reports
Sep 12, 2018
Diarrhea: The good, the bad, and what you can do to help address this global crisis. Read the full message map, available in English and French.
Message maps
Sep 10, 2018
Between 2005-2015, child deaths from diarrhea plummeted by 30%. But we now know that the long-term consequences of multiple diarrhea episodes are severe. It isn’t fair that children be saved, just to lose out on a happy, healthy life.
We’ll
Video
Sep 10, 2018
In 2008 I started a job at PATH to promote a childhood vaccine against a nasty infection called “rotavirus.” I had never heard of rotavirus but immediately learned that it’s a major killer – responsible for more child deaths around the world than
Blog
Aug 22, 2018
Diarrhea. It is often the stuff of comedy, a dreaded first date woe, or an uncomfortable inconvenience after indulging in too much guac.
Beyond the silly and the squeamish, though, there’s a more important story to be told: diarrheal disease is a
Blog
May 25, 2018
Launched at the 71st World Health Assembly, the Nurturing Care Framework provides an evidence-based roadmap for action and outlines how early childhood development (ECD) policies and services can support parents, families, other caregivers and
Reports
Feb 07, 2018
Dr. Mark Manary, one of the world’s foremost experts in childhood malnutrition, screens children in Chikweo, Malawi. Photo: Carol Lin.
With 155 million stunted children in the world, progress against the complex condition is not coming fast
Blog
Nov 19, 2017
Download this image for Twitter or Facebook. Optional link: http://report.defeatdd.org/breastfeeding-nutrition/
Download this image for Twitter or Facebook. Optional link: http://report.defeatdd.org/breastfeeding-nutrition/
Graphics
Nov 15, 2017
We need your help to make a stink about diarrheal disease and the solutions to defeat it: Create and share a Toilet Talk! It's like a one-minute TED Talk in a bathroom, and you can share it on social media using the hashtag #DefeatDD. Check our our
Video
Nov 09, 2017
Childhood diarrhea deaths have decreased, but children are still getting sick and infections are a major problem. Children who survive an episode but are faced with repeated infections are more likely to suffer from lifelong cognitive and physical
Reports
Oct 10, 2017
Did you know that repeated gut infections like diarrhea can lead to malnutrition? We need integrated approaches to defeat diarrheal disease. Learn more by exploring our infographic.
Video
Aug 30, 2017
Originally posted on the 1000 Days website.
In the leadup to World Water Week, WaterAid, SHARE (Sanitation and Hygiene Applied Research for Equity) and Action Against Hunger launched a new report, “The recipe for success,” in which they discuss
Blog
Aug 24, 2017
This report from Action Against Hunger, SHARE, and WaterAid highlights why WASH is essential for nutrition, and how this integration could be strengthened, through an analysis of nutrition and WASH plans and policies in ten countries. It also
Reports
Jul 27, 2017
Zari sandwich! PATH team members Cassie Kobrin on the left, Elana Banin on the right.
Nothing was going to keep this DefeatDD team member away from the Hill event, “Ensuring All Children Thrive: A Global Challenge,” which delivered on its
Blog
Jul 10, 2017
To stop the vicious cycle of malnutrition and diarrhea and subsequent lifelong impacts, we need to reach children early with a multifaceted approach, especially in the hardest to reach areas. These models of success in India are turning the tide.
Video
Jul 10, 2017
When children live in poor countries, their risk of diarrheal disease is much higher. Solutions to alleviate the burden exist, but we need greater awareness and action if we are going to protect children, families, and communities from the lifelong
Video
May 01, 2017
The US Government's Call to Action for Child Survival, launched in 2012, initiated an annual Acting on the Call report that documented the US government contributions to child health around the world. The 2017 report outlines what is possible if we
Reports
Feb 15, 2017
Foodborne and waterborne diarrheal disease kills an estimated 2 million people annually. Evidence suggests that food is equal to and may be more important than water as a route of transmission of diarrhea in developing countries. In response to the
Published research
Oct 13, 2016
You might know that handwashing makes a huge impact when it comes to preventing diarrhea: if everyone made handwashing a habit, diarrhea risk would drop by nearly half! But did you know that good handwashing and hygiene habits can also help children
Blog
Oct 04, 2016
The 2016 Lancet Early Childhood Development Series highlights the importance of multisectoral approaches, especially within the first few years of a child's life, to ensure that she reaches her full developmental potential. Topics include the
Published research
Oct 01, 2016
Poo Haiku has a special legacy as DefeatDD’s first social media campaign and is undoubtedly a fan favorite. Whimsical, informative, and an open forum for all sectors to raise their voice, it is the epitome of what our team considers a successful
Article
Oct 01, 2016
This infographic walks you through the biology behind a key question: Why is diarrhea so dangerous, anyway?
The danger is in the dehydration caused by a diarrhea pathogen (in our example, ETEC).
Children are especially vulnerable to dehydration
Graphics
Sep 16, 2016
Superheroes and villains face off in the battle to DefeatDD! With their powers combined, Nutrition, Vaccines, WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene), and ORS + Zinc help children, families, and communities conquer the biggest bugs terrorizing towns
Video
Aug 29, 2016
Say sayonara to Star Trek because this summer's biggest blockbuster isn't playing at your local theater. The most compelling drama comes to you right here, as superheroes and villains face off in the fight to defeat diarrheal disease!
That sight
Blog
Jul 12, 2016
Long-term gut damage, called environmental enteropathy, catalyzes a chain reaction that limits the chances of children and communities to overcome a cycle of poor health.
There's a plot twist in the global landscape of diarrheal disease, and the
Blog
Jun 13, 2016
A first photo of my hours-old niece, who joined the world in April 2013.
“Aunt Hopey, stand UP!” commands my three-year-old niece from atop her parents' bed, pulling me up into her imaginary kingdom (with surprising force, I might add!) and
Blog
Jun 01, 2016
WaterAid’s media report Caught Short reveals the worst places in the world for childhood stunting.
Globally, one child in every four suffers from stunted growth, which not only affects a child’s height but also impinges on their emotional,
Reports
May 09, 2016
A scientist has a mandate: objective, data-driven fact-finding; research with an open mind and a solid protocol. But a scientist is more, too. Behind the standards of practice and quality control checks are life experiences, a full range of emotions
Blog
May 09, 2016
Childhood diarrhea is far too common in developing countries. When children do survive, families often face repeated illnesses and a heavy financial burden.
Video
Mar 08, 2016
Children need a nutritious diet to grow healthy and strong. If children don't get key nutrients during these critical early years, the impact can be far-reaching.
Malnutrition and diarrheal disease feed off each other in a relentless loop to
Blog
Feb 03, 2016
Let's be honest. As someone who has worked in child health for many years, I have a particular passion for diarrhea. One of the leading killers of children, but so very preventable and treatable, diarrhea is often on the top of my mind. It doesn'
Blog
Jan 20, 2016
Dr. Rajiv Tandon, Senior Technical Advisor for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health and Nutrition based in PATH's New Delhi office and long-time advocate of public health and nutrition, will be speaking at the 53rd Annual Conference of Indian Academy
Blog
Jan 01, 2016
Good nutrition is essential for child growth, development, and immune system function to boost children’s defenses against infectious diseases like diarrhea. But the children most vulnerable to diarrheal disease are often malnourished. The
Message maps
Jan 01, 2016
Few challenges facing the global community today match the scale of malnutrition, a condition that directly affects one in three people. Malnutrition manifests itself in many different ways: as poor child growth and development; as individuals who
Reports
Dec 09, 2015
How are we going to save the 550,000 children who still die of diarrhea each year? It's a daunting question. While vaccines against the leading cause of severe childhood diarrhea are key to prevention, treatment should also remain an important focus
Blog
Sep 23, 2015
Every family across the world wants the best for their children. But everyday dangers in their environment make diarrhea a common and serious threat: more than half a million children die from diarrhea each year, and millions more are hospitalized
Video
Sep 22, 2015
“The results communicate a clear message: We can choose a better future for the world's children.”
I love that sentence from UNICEF's most recent A Promise Renewed progress report. The fact that we have a choice makes two essential points: (1)
Blog
Sep 17, 2015
Every day, concerned families bring children of all ages to the famous Cholera Hospital run by the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b). The children are brought to be treated for diarrhoea, but many are
Blog
Sep 09, 2015
A well nourished child is a healthy child. Fighting iron deficiency and the anemia it can cause is a big step toward fighting malnutrition, which weakens a child's immune system and leaves him/her susceptible to infections, including diarrhea and
Blog
Sep 01, 2015
In June 2012, the Governments of Ethiopia, India and the United States of America convened the Child Survival Call to Action in Washington, D.C. This high-level forum brought together over 700 representatives from government, civil society and the
Reports
Feb 19, 2015
Jordan hanging out with her newest source of inspiration for her work in WASH: her third niece.
Over the last few years with my four nieces and nephews, I have become intimately familiar with breastfeeding, poopy diapers, introductions to solid
Blog
Jan 01, 2015
A growing body of evidence indicates that access to safe drinking-water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services has an important positive impact on nutrition. Achieving the six Global Nutrition Targets 2025, as well as global goals for WASH and
Reports
Jan 01, 2015
Infectious diarrhoea is a global public health problem with high mortality and morbidity, particularly among children of the developing world. Each year, approximately 750,000 children under five years old die from severe, dehydrating diarrhoea and
Published research
Dec 22, 2014
With two college-going children - pardon - adults in the house - it is difficult to recall them reaching their fifth year milestone. I still recall, though, the amazement that often came from friends and family in the larger cities of India (who
Blog
Aug 01, 2014
Step-step, pause… step-step… plop (down on her bum)! And just like that, my little one is walking. Completely unaware of the monumental shift she's created in our lives, my daughter happily crawls toward the kitchen to play with Tupperware lids. I
Blog
Jul 23, 2014
Twenty-five year old Durga has travelled 15 km from her village to get to Darbhanga (Bihar), the district headquarters, following the advice of the local auxiliary nurse and midwife (ANM). Her daughter Puja, who is 10 months old and severely
Blog
Jun 02, 2014
If there was a way to save half a million children's lives every year, wouldn't you join that movement?
Get looped in to the global movement to defeat diarrheal disease.
Video
May 21, 2014
If you move in global health circles, you may have had the good fortune to meet soccer star (and ONE Campaign Global Health Policy Director) Erin Hohlfelder. In her recent blog, she reflects on how access to lifesaving immunizations gave her the
Blog
May 01, 2014
This policy outlines the US government approach to address the direct and indirect drivers of mlanutrition, including water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). Read the full report.
Reports
Jan 22, 2014
USAID released a comprehensive Nutrition Strategy on their website for public comment on December 20, 2013. The design of a USAID nutrition strategy recognizes the essential role that nutrition plays in individuals' and countries' development and is
Blog
Nov 07, 2013
I took my son to the doctor recently. In one office, during one visit, he had a physical check-up, vision and hearing exams, and he received counseling on nutrition, and several vaccines. While to many parents around this world, this is unremarkable
Blog
Oct 10, 2013
There's a story that haunts me in child health. It's the story of the child who successfully fights an episode of malaria one year because she got the right medicine at the right time but the following year, after a severe episode of pneumonia,
Blog
Aug 29, 2013
Diarrhea and pneumonia are the leading causes of mortality in children under 5, accounting for over 2 million deaths annually. More than 90% of these deaths occur in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, where children in the poorest, most rural
Blog
Jun 12, 2013
On June 8, Prime Minister David Cameron hosted a Hunger Summit, Nutrition for Growth: Beating Hunger through Business and Science, to highlight the issue of hunger and undernutrition ahead of the G8 Summit in Belfast. The summit brought together
Blog
May 09, 2013
One year ago this month, the plans were well underway - plenty of ideas, not too many specifics, and uncontainable excitement: The defeatDD team was heading to Zambia!
I had actually been once already, before joining PATH. Nine years prior,
Blog
Apr 24, 2013
We can prevent 95% of deaths from diarrhea and 65% of deaths from pneumonia by scaling up cost-effective interventions. How cool is that? That was the bottom line from US AID's briefing about the Integrated Global Action Plan for the Prevention and
Blog
Apr 17, 2013
Zambia is leading the charge to defeat diarrhea. The country serves as a model for the successful integration of policies, education, safe drinking water, rotavirus vaccines, and ORS/zinc.
Video: PATH; Photos: PATH/Gareth Bentley.
Video
Apr 11, 2013
This week, we celebrate integration. Though it is intrinsically at the heart of what we and our partners do in addressing myriad global health challenges through thoughtful, efficient strategies, today integration is particularly at the fore. For
Blog
Apr 05, 2013
Dr. Shams El Arifeen, Director, The Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, at ICDDR,B (icddr,b)
Dr. Lulu Bravo, Professor of Paediatric Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University of the
Other
Apr 05, 2013
Dr. Koki Agarwal, Director, Maternal & Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP)
Dr. Greg Allgood, Director and Founder, Proctor & Gamble Children’s Safe Drinking Water Programme
Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of the GAVI Alliance
Dr. Thomas Brewer
Other
Mar 25, 2013
This past Friday was World Water Day and an opportunity to celebrate the excellent work being doing to promote water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in the developing world. The UK has played a leading role in making WASH a priority for
Blog
Mar 13, 2013
Reposted from makingmalariahistory.org.
Last week, the Washington Global Health Alliance held its “Experience Global Health” exhibit on Capitol Hill. The unique, multi-sensory event presented stories of global health struggles (like malaria
Blog
Feb 13, 2013
[Dad joke alert] “Yesterday, I swallowed some scrabble tiles by mistake. The next time I go to the toilet, it could spell disaster”. Bit of a stupid joke, I apologise, but the dubious function it performs in this blog is to show how what you put
Blog
Jan 31, 2013
In this country, diarrhea tends to be shrugged off as a mild nuisance, but in parts of the developing world, it can be a death sentence. Health workers like Salif in Mali know this all too well.
He recently treated a young boy, Sekou, who had
Blog
Jan 01, 2013
This presentation gives a concise overview of the problem of diarrheal disease, the solutions and the ways to take action on this issue. Use the full presentation, or pull content from the slides to incorporate them into your own presentations. This
Presentations
Dec 20, 2012
A community meeting to receive health messages from a CHW.
Community-level perception of a public health intervention is tantamount to the success or failure of its uptake. Programs generated in the West can often be perceived as irrelevant,
Blog
Nov 12, 2012
On a recent visit to a local children's ward in the northern part of Ethiopia over 70% of the children were suffering from pneumonia. When a child in this region goes to the hospital, most often the parents move in as well, sleeping in the same
Blog
Jul 13, 2012
Ten years of development work, and this week marked my first visit to an African health care clinic. The waiting room was tiny, tight, and filled with weary anxiety. The bottom line being that, despite my own excitement, the women and children in
Blog
Jul 12, 2012
I don't think any of us expected to be deeply moved during an informational interview at Zambia's Ministry of Health, a stop typically made to gather facts and figures rather than inspiration.
In a crowded room with thick binders filling an
Blog
Jul 05, 2012
Infectious disease isn't the only thing that can go viral these days. Facebook posts and tweets can, too, which makes social media pretty powerful stuff.
At defeatDD, we spend a lot of time thinking about how we can harness the potential of
Blog
Jun 20, 2012
“Oh, Stephanie, NO. Not while we're eating our dinner!”
This is how the conversation usually goes when my parents make the mistake of asking me how my job is going over a family meal. I have become so used to discussing this subject, I forget
Blog
May 16, 2012
I didn't notice Savita Rai at first. I was too busy watching the mothers' group. I was in her Indian village to see how PATH's Sure Start project was transforming a devastating situation—high rates of maternal and newborn deaths—into one of hope
Blog
May 02, 2012
At USAID's "Every Child Deserves a 5th Birthday" briefing, USAID Administrator Raj Shah proudly displays a photo of one of his little ones, who had just graduated from her play group.
I've always had a soft spot for revolutionary people and ideas,
Blog
Apr 09, 2012
How can we stop millions of deaths from diarrhea? With simple solutions. Just listen...
Video
Mar 14, 2012
Summer 2006, rural China: My colleagues and I take a bathroom break at a rest stop on the side of the road on our way to a health clinic. Unlike many female restrooms around the world, there isn't a long line of patrons waiting to use the holes in
Blog
Mar 02, 2012
Do you remember how your mom took care of you when you got sick?
Moms everywhere want to take care of their kids. Diarrhea can be deadly, but mothers have hope when they have access to simple solutions. Proven, affordable tools should be at-hand for
Video
Feb 08, 2012
The 1,000 days between a woman's pregnancy and her child's 2nd birthday represent a critical but short window of time to ensure a child's future health and prosperity. Children who are well-nourished during this critical window reap a lifetime of
Blog
Sep 14, 2011
Call it what you will: joining up or combining interventions, integration or disaggregation. Whatever you call it, it is essential to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and to alleviating poverty and disease. We can't agree more with
Blog
Aug 16, 2011
Infant & Young Child Nutrition (resources are listed chronologically)
INFOGRAPHIC: Diarrheal disease and malnutrition are inextricably linkedPATH, 2016
(3257 KB PDF)
Malnutrition and diarrheal disease message map
PATH, 2016
(560 KB PDF)
Other
Jul 13, 2011
How can we make an impact on child health in far-away countries for those of us who are working from our desks in the US?
We think this is an incredibly important question, and so do our Facebook friends. In fact, when we recently interviewed
Blog
Apr 19, 2011
It's been a year since defeatDD was born. Back then, I blogged about how diarrhea was often a joke at the party, but less often a serious contender for action in the world of global health. Over the past year, I've started to think maybe I was
Blog
Apr 14, 2011
In the village of Kamusinga, Kenya, parents learn about basic diarrheal disease prevention strategies from a community health volunteer.
Memories of my stay in the bustling border town of Busia, Kenya, fill me with optimism. Last October, I
Blog
Nov 22, 2010
Bread for the World Institute has just released its 2011 Hunger Report, Our Common Interest: Ending Hunger and Malnutrition.
The report is available in print and online for free at www.hungerreport.org. This is the 21st edition of the Institute's
Blog
Nov 09, 2010
This week, PATH is co-hosting a symposium - along with the Vietnamese Ministry of Health and Vietnam's National Pediatric Hospital - on the importance of taking an integrated approach to defeating diarrheal disease.
The gathering will bring
Blog
Mar 31, 2010
No one wants talk about it, but diarrheal disease is the second leading killer of children around the world. Watch this video to find out why and learn how you can add your voice to the growing conversation.
Video
Mar 12, 2010
One woman’s stand against diarrheal disease
Women rarely hold office in Kenya. Florence Weke-sa is an exception. Currently deputy mayor of Kimilili, Florence is the first woman to hold the position and was the only female councilor on the Kimilili
Blog