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With research staff from more than 70 countries, and offices across the globe, IFPRI provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.

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David Spielman

David Spielman is the director of IFPRI’s Innovation Policy and Scaling Unit and has been with the institute since 2004. His research agenda covers a range of topics including agriculture and rural development policy; agricultural science, technology, and innovation; plant genetic resources and seed systems; agricultural extension and advisory services; and community-driven rural development.

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experts

Nutrition, Diets, and Health

Sunny Kim

Senior Research Fellow

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Bio

Sunny S. Kim is a Senior Research Fellow in the Nutrition, Diets, and Health Unit who first joined IFPRI as a postdoctoral fellow in 2012. Her key research areas include maternal, adolescent, and child health and nutrition; social and behavior change; and intervention coverage measurement. She has conducted impact and process evaluations, as well as formative and implementation research studies using mixed methods in a wide range of countries, including Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Viet Nam. Before joining IFPRI, Sunny worked as a technical officer in the Nutrition Unit of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO).

Sunny received her PhD in international nutrition from Cornell University, MPH in international health promotion from George Washington University, and BA in molecular and cell biology from the University of California, Berkeley.

Languages spoken: English, Korean, Spanish

Google Scholar Citations

Publications

Resource thumbnail

Preprint

Measuring food fortification coverage in household surveys: Formative research findings from Bangladesh and Ethiopia

2025
Scott, Samuel P.; Myers, Emily; Jungjohann, Svenja; Manohar, Swetha; Neupane, Sumanta; Banerjee, Archis; Berhane, Hanna; Workneh, Firehiwot; Ferdaweke, Fiker; Zaman, Zubayer Ibn
…more Salsabil, Nishat; Billah, Sk Masum; Lotus, Sharif Uddin; Heidkamp, Rebecca; Kim, Sunny S.
Details

Measuring food fortification coverage in household surveys: Formative research findings from Bangladesh and Ethiopia

Background Large-scale food fortification (LSFF) is a cost-effective approach used in most countries to address widespread micronutrient deficiencies. Understanding who consumes fortified foods is challenging as these foods are often undetectable by design. The objective of this work was to refine survey items used to measure LSFF coverage for their potential use in routine multitopic household surveys. Methods In Bangladesh and Ethiopia, we interviewed shop vendors (n=108), program officers (n=28), and women beneficiaries of safety net programs (n=67). Shop observations assessed availability, type, brand, and fortification labeling for food vehicles (oil, wheat flour, salt, and rice). Key informant interviews were used to understand practices related to food acquisition/use and fortification knowledge. Cognitive interviewing techniques were used to refine questions from the Fortification Assessment Coverage Toolkit (FACT), with follow-up prompts to identify comprehension, retrieval, judgment, and response errors. Results Market observations revealed many types and brands of food vehicles, especially of rice in Bangladesh (35 types, 220 brands). Nearly all oil and salt, but not wheat flour in both countries or rice in Bangladesh were labeled as fortified. Program officers and women had limited knowledge about fortified foods. The concept of brand was not well understood, and women often could not remember the brand they last purchased. Modifications to the FACT survey items reduced cognitive errors. A set of four questions can capture household coverage of food vehicle and fortifiable food vehicle use. Conclusions Correct phrasing of key concepts as understood by respondents is essential to producing reliable estimates of LSFF coverage. In the absence of cheap, field-friendly technologies to test food samples, and given limited identifiable features of fortified foods, estimating coverage of fortification programs in household surveys remains challenging but worthy of further investigation.

Year published

2025

Authors

Scott, Samuel P.; Myers, Emily; Jungjohann, Svenja; Manohar, Swetha; Neupane, Sumanta; Banerjee, Archis; Berhane, Hanna; Workneh, Firehiwot; Ferdaweke, Fiker; Zaman, Zubayer Ibn; Salsabil, Nishat; Billah, Sk Masum; Lotus, Sharif Uddin; Heidkamp, Rebecca; Kim, Sunny S.

Citation

Scott, Samuel P.; Myers, Emily; Jungjohann, Svenja; Manohar, Swetha; Neupane, Sumanta; et al. 2025. Measuring food fortification coverage in household surveys: Formative research findings from Bangladesh and Ethiopia. VeriXiv Preprints. https://doi.org/10.12688/verixiv.2491.1

Country/Region

Bangladesh; Ethiopia

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Eastern Africa; Food Fortification; Households; Surveys; Food Systems

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.12688/verixiv.2491.1 Source record

Record type

Preprint

Resource thumbnail

Preprint

Formative research in Ethiopia and Bangladesh: Strengthening household survey measures of maternal micronutrient supplementation in low- and middle-income countries

2025
Walton, Shelley; Wood, Ellina; Berhane, Hanna Y.; Workneh, Firehiwot; Ferdaweke, Fiker; Billah, Sk Masum; Lotus, Sharif Uddin; Munos, Melinda; Kim, Sunny S.; Manohar, Swetha
…more Nguyen, Phuong Hong; Azeem, Syed Shehryar; Heidkamp, Rebecca
Details

Formative research in Ethiopia and Bangladesh: Strengthening household survey measures of maternal micronutrient supplementation in low- and middle-income countries

Background As countries transition from iron folic acid (IFA) to multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) for pregnant women, they need accurate data on who is being reached with these interventions. The aim of our formative research in Ethiopia and Bangladesh was to design updated household survey questions, response options, and visual aids to measure coverage of prenatal micronutrient supplements. Methods In Phase I, we landscaped health providers and retailers to identify prenatal micronutrient products available in each country and interviewed currently pregnant women (CPW) and recently delivered women (RDW) about how they differentiated among micronutrient products. In Phase II, we used these findings to draft survey questions and visual aids. In Phase III, we iteratively tested and refined the draft tools through cognitive interviews with women. Results The total number of study participants, including CPW, RDW, healthcare workers, and retailers, was 73 in Ethiopia and 132 in Bangladesh. Women in both contexts distinguished among micronutrient products based on color, shape, packaging, and perceived purpose. In cognitive tests, women generally understood the English term “iron” as a catch-all term for any iron-containing supplement. No specific term for multivitamin or MMS was consistently recognized by women. Shorter recalls of 7 days or 1 month for adherence were feasible for respondents. Conclusions It is challenging to identify terms and images that help women distinguish between supplement types. The final set of questions are feasible for adaptation and use in multi-topic surveys, in contexts with MMS but require validation.

Year published

2025

Authors

Walton, Shelley; Wood, Ellina; Berhane, Hanna Y.; Workneh, Firehiwot; Ferdaweke, Fiker; Billah, Sk Masum; Lotus, Sharif Uddin; Munos, Melinda; Kim, Sunny S.; Manohar, Swetha; Nguyen, Phuong Hong; Azeem, Syed Shehryar; Heidkamp, Rebecca

Citation

Walton, Shelley; Wood, Ellina; Berhane, Hanna Y.; Workneh, Firehiwot; Ferdaweke, Fiker; et al. 2025. Formative research in Ethiopia and Bangladesh: Strengthening household survey measures of maternal micronutrient supplementation in low- and middle-income countries. VeriXiv Preprint. https://doi.org/10.12688/verixiv.2475.1

Country/Region

Ethiopia; Bangladesh

Keywords

Eastern Africa; Southern Asia; Sub-saharan Africa; Africa; Asia; Micronutrients; Household Surveys; Supplements; Developing Countries; Maternal Nutrition; Gender

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.12688/verixiv.2475.1 Source record

Record type

Preprint

Resource thumbnail

Journal Article

Methodological considerations and cost to measure coverage of multisectoral nutrition interventions: Protocol for the One Nutrition Coverage Survey in Bangladesh

2025Manohar, Swetha; Nguyen, Phuong Hong; Neupane, Sumanta; Munos, Melinda Kay; Heidkamp, Rebecca; Banerjee, Archis; Pandya, Niharika; Kim, Sunny S.
Details

Methodological considerations and cost to measure coverage of multisectoral nutrition interventions: Protocol for the One Nutrition Coverage Survey in Bangladesh

Introduction Despite global commitments to eliminate malnutrition, over half the world’s population remains affected. Multisectoral nutrition interventions targeting both proximate and distal causes of malnutrition are essential across the lifespan. Yet, current data collection lacks comprehensive nutrition intervention coverage measures, risking inaccuracies in tracking progress. The One Nutrition Coverage Survey (ONCS) aims to test new and refined coverage measurement methods, assess coverage equity and guide integration into large-scale household surveys. Methods and analysis The ONCS will be a cross-sectional, population-representative household survey conducted in four districts of Bangladesh (Rangpur, Sylhet, Dhaka and Khulna), selected for their geographic spread and urban–rural balance. A stratified multistage sampling approach will be used to select enumeration areas, and a total of approximately 3280 households randomly selected within each EA will be included in the survey. The survey will interview women of reproductive age (15–49 years), caregivers of children (0–9 years), adolescents (10–19 years) and pregnant women, collecting data on multisectoral nutrition interventions relevant to these groups. It will use both existing and new measures, while also capturing monetary and non-monetary costs for survey design to implementation. Data will be analysed to assess coverage, co-coverage and equity by sociodemographic characteristics, as well as the feasibility, accuracy and costs of the survey approach. Ethics and dissemination The study protocol and instruments were reviewed and approved by the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh’s (icddr,b) Ethical Review Board in Bangladesh and the International Food Policy Research Institute’s Institutional Review Board in Washington, DC, USA. Adults provided signed informed consent and adolescents their assent. Findings will be shared through peer-reviewed publications, conferences and presentations in Bangladesh with key stakeholders. This study will yield new tools, methods and evidence for measuring multisectoral nutrition intervention coverage, applicable to other low-income and middle-income countries. Learnings from ONCS will enhance data collection aligned with national strategies, helping governments improve coverage assessments, inform decisions and strengthen programme monitoring.

Year published

2025

Authors

Manohar, Swetha; Nguyen, Phuong Hong; Neupane, Sumanta; Munos, Melinda Kay; Heidkamp, Rebecca; Banerjee, Archis; Pandya, Niharika; Kim, Sunny S.

Citation

Manohar, Swetha; Nguyen, Phuong Hong; Neupane, Sumanta; Munos, Melinda Kay; Heidkamp, Rebecca; et al. 2025. Methodological considerations and cost to measure coverage of multisectoral nutrition interventions: Protocol for the One Nutrition Coverage Survey in Bangladesh. BMJ Open 15(12): e099314. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2025-099314

Country/Region

Bangladesh

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Nutrition; Surveys; Social Protection; Malnutrition

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2025-099314 Source record

Record type

Journal Article

Blogs

Starting off right: Scaling up breastfeeding practices in Bangladesh and Viet Nam
Issue Post
 | 
July 31, 2017

Starting off right: Scaling up breastfeeding practices in Bangladesh and Viet Nam

By Sunny Kim, Purnima Menon, and Phuong Hong Nguyen

Interpersonal counseling and other targeted efforts boost breastfeeding and childhood nutrition—and can be applied most anywhere, IFPRI research shows.

Breastfeeding practices can be improved at large scale for better health and nutrition
Issue Post
 | 
August 01, 2016

Breastfeeding practices can be improved at large scale for better health and nutrition

By Phuong Nguyen, Sunny Kim, and Purnima Menon

IFPRI found Alive & Thrive had a measurable impact improving breastfeeding in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Vietnam

Developing a nutrition-sensitive pro-WEAI
 | 
April 04, 2016

Developing a nutrition-sensitive pro-WEAI

By Jessica Heckert and Sunny Kim

The following post by Jessica Heckert and Sunny Kim was originally published on the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH) Gender-Nutrition Idea Exchange blog. Since the launch of the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) in 2012 and later its abbreviated form (A-WEAI), it has been widely used to measure and […]

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Events

23rd International Congress of Nutrition (ICN)
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

August 24 to 29, 2025

23rd International Congress of Nutrition (ICN)

IFPRI is participating in the 23rd International Congress of Nutrition (ICN), hosted by the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS) on August 24-29 in Paris, France.  The theme of this year’s congress is “Sustainable Food for Global Health,” bringing together experts to discuss evidence and innovations in nutrition, sustainability, food science, and public health. IFPRI […]

NUTRITION 2024: Where the best in science & health meet
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

June 29 to July 2, 2024

NUTRITION 2024: Where the best in science & health meet

IFPRI is pleased to participate in the NUTRITION 2024 conference. The conference program will feature scientific symposia and educational sessions, unpublished oral research study presentations, poster sessions and flash talks. As well as award lectures delivered by distinguished leaders, professional and career development opportunities, and events with ASN’s vibrant scientific communities known as Groups Engaging […]

2024 Global Food Policy Report: Improving Diets and Nutrition through Food Systems: What Will it Take?
IFPRI Policy Seminar

 | 

May 29, 2024, 9:30 – 11:00 am

2024 Global Food Policy Report: Improving Diets and Nutrition through Food Systems: What Will it Take?

Hybrid Event: May 29, 2024 at 9:30am-11:00am EDT. IFPRI’s 2024 Global Food Policy Report on Food Systems for Healthy Diets, presents evidence-based policy and governance solutions to strengthen diet quality and nutrition in low- and middle-income countries, and examines priorities for future research on food systems for better nutrition.

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News

September 05, 2023 | Press Release

New study demonstrates positive impact of school-based nutrition education on adolescent girls’ diets in Ethiopia

September 5, 2023, Washington, DC: A comprehensive package of nutrition education interventions delivered through public primary schools can significantly improve dietary practices among adolescents, according to a new study published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health. The research, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through the FHI 360 Alive & Thrive initiative, […]

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