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With research staff from more than 60 countries, and offices across the globe, IFPRI provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.

researcher spotlight

Elodie Becquey

Elodie Becquey is a Senior Research Fellow in the Nutrition, Diets, and Health Unit, based in IFPRI’s West and Central Africa office in Senegal. She has over 15 years of research experience in diet, nutrition, and food security in Africa, including countries such as Burkina Faso, Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, and Tanzania.

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Nutrition, Diets, and Health

Lilia Bliznashka

Research Fellow

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Bio

Lily Bliznashka is a Research Fellow in the Nutrition, Diets, and Health Unit, based in Washington, DC. She is an interdisciplinary researcher with expertise in global health and nutrition, program evaluation, development economics, and quantitative methods. Her research focuses on assessing the effectiveness of multi-input nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific interventions and the mechanisms through which they work to improve maternal and child health and nutrition globally. Lily also has expertise in early childhood development, including using qualitative and quantitative methods to understand how parenting interventions influence early childhood development and conducting implementation research to improve programming for young children and their parents. She has worked in Burkina Faso, Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Lily has a PhD in Population Health Science from Harvard University. She also holds a master’s degree in International Affairs from Tufts University and a bachelor’s in Business Administration from Georgetown University. Lily’s publications are available on Google Scholar.

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Publications

Publications

Resource thumbnail

Journal Article

A global and some national perspectives on the current evidence of interventions on fruit and vegetable intake in low-, middle-, and high-income countries

2025
Hess, Sonja Y.; Angeles-Agdeppa, Imelda; Kinabo, Joyce; Mitchodigni, Irene Medeme; Silva, Renuka; Tharaney, Manisha; Azupogo, Fusta; Bliznashka, Lilia; Hinnouho, Guy-Marino; Koyratty, Nadia
…more Smith, Taryn J.; Olney, Deanna K.
Details

A global and some national perspectives on the current evidence of interventions on fruit and vegetable intake in low-, middle-, and high-income countries

Adequate amounts of fruit and vegetables (F&V) are an important part of a healthy diet, yet intake is suboptimal in most population groups worldwide. To better understand the evidence of strategies aiming to improve F&V intake, we conducted a scoping review of interventions assessing the impact on F&V intake, including those aiming to improve F&V intake explicitly and those targeting diet, health, lifestyle, or food environment generally. Among all eligible interventions reviewed, most of which were implemented in high-income countries, about half reported a significant positive impact on fruit and/or vegetable intake. Interventions that used a multicomponent strategy (61%) and those that focused on F&V specifically (72%) were most likely to find a significant increase in fruit and/or vegetable intake. Detailed summaries are provided in 2 accompanying articles. In the present article, we put these findings into perspective. Specifically, we considered the evidence for 4 target countries of the Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets Initiative: Benin, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania. When considering available evidence at the national level, there is a paucity of information from intervention trials despite evidence of inadequate F&V intakes in each of these countries. When considering available evidence at the global level, and especially for low-and-middle income countries, there is a critical need to strengthen the evidence across various intervention strategies, particularly related to targeting, timing, intensity, duration, frequency, and other key characteristics, to better understand how to enhance their impact on F&V intake in various population groups and contexts.

Year published

2025

Authors

Hess, Sonja Y.; Angeles-Agdeppa, Imelda; Kinabo, Joyce; Mitchodigni, Irene Medeme; Silva, Renuka; Tharaney, Manisha; Azupogo, Fusta; Bliznashka, Lilia; Hinnouho, Guy-Marino; Koyratty, Nadia; Smith, Taryn J.; Olney, Deanna K.

Citation

Hess, Sonja Y.; Angeles-Agdeppa, Imelda; Kinabo, Joyce; Mitchodigni, Irene Medeme; Silva, Renuka; Tharaney, Manisha; et al. 2025. A global and some national perspectives on the current evidence of interventions on fruit and vegetable intake in low-, middle-, and high-income countries. Food and Nutrition Bulletin 46(1_suppl): S35 – S44. https://doi.org/10.1177/03795721251357385

Keywords

Food Intake; Fruits; Vegetables; Healthy Diets; Less Favoured Areas

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-NC-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1177/03795721251357385 Source record

Record type

Journal Article

Resource thumbnail

Journal Article

Effect of adding milk to a micronutrient fortified high-energy biscuit school feeding programme in Yemen: A cluster-randomised controlled trial

2025
Bliznashka, Lilia; Michail, Monica George; Elsabbagh, Dalia; Gelli, Aulo; Hamid Hossam Al-Qadi, Ahmed Abdel; Saif Al-Ariqi, Munir Hassan; Hanash Qasim, Wajdan Hanash; Qawi Al-Athouri, Saeed Abdul; Hamid Ahmed Abdullah, Majed Abdel; Ali Naji Iskandar, Samia Majed
…more Hamoud Al-Battah, Nazma Saleh; Hamid Mansour, Salah Fazaa; Mohammed Al-Saadi, Samar Saeed; Goel, Mayank; ElHelbawy, Sherif; Rahman Qasem, Adeeb Abdul; Bahader, Hussein; Al-Haj, Waleed Mohammed; Al-Qasus, Adnan Yahya; Ohiarlaithe, Micheal; Suliman, Hala; Ghimire, Pramila; AlSabahi, Mohammed; AlBasha, Muna; Alameri, Abdulhafeed; Akther, Shahida; Qahtani, Fadhl Abdullah; Basaleem, Mohammed; Hassan, Mustafa; Bawazir, Samah
Details

Effect of adding milk to a micronutrient fortified high-energy biscuit school feeding programme in Yemen: A cluster-randomised controlled trial

Background Two billion children globally are estimated to live in conflict-affected areas. School feeding programmes (SFPs) are a widely implemented safety net that supports children during and after conflict. Objective We evaluated the effectiveness of providing milk alongside a high energy biscuits (HEBs) SFP in Yemen on children’s and caregivers’ outcomes. Methods We implemented a two-arm longitudinal cluster-randomised controlled trial from December 2023 to May 2024. 42 schools in Al Mukha district were randomly assigned (1:1) to: control, where children received HEBs (2 packets (100 grams) daily), or milk, where children received HEBs plus a 120 ml carton of ultra-high temperature milk. Children aged 6-18 years were randomly selected for enrolment. The primary outcomes were children’s dietary diversity and milk consumption. Secondary outcomes were children’s cognition, learning, attendance, nutritional status, and health. Tertiary outcomes were child and caregiver mental health, and household food security. We conducted intent-to-treat analysis using linear mixed effects models accounting for clustering. Results 1,299 children were enrolled. After five months, the intervention increased milk consumption, but had no effect on dietary diversity. Children’s cognition [mean difference (MD) 1.00 (95% CI 0.40, 1.61)], literacy [1.14 (0.36, 1.92)], and numeracy [1.06 (0.46, 1.67)] scores improved. Cough symptoms declined: -0.12 (-0.2, -0.03). There were no changes in school attendance or nutritional status. The intervention reduced conduct problems in children [-0.52 (-0.97, -0.08)], severe anxiety in caregivers [-0.03 (-0.06, -0.001)], and household severe food insecurity [-0.09 (-0.17, -0.001)]. Conclusions Adding a daily milk drink to an HEB SFP in Yemen resulted in numerous benefits for children and their families. Hybrid models to incrementally improve meal quality are feasible, acceptable, and lead to meaningful impacts. More research is needed on medium- and long-term benefits.

Year published

2025

Authors

Bliznashka, Lilia; Michail, Monica George; Elsabbagh, Dalia; Gelli, Aulo; Hamid Hossam Al-Qadi, Ahmed Abdel; Saif Al-Ariqi, Munir Hassan; Hanash Qasim, Wajdan Hanash; Qawi Al-Athouri, Saeed Abdul; Hamid Ahmed Abdullah, Majed Abdel; Ali Naji Iskandar, Samia Majed; Hamoud Al-Battah, Nazma Saleh; Hamid Mansour, Salah Fazaa; Mohammed Al-Saadi, Samar Saeed; Goel, Mayank; ElHelbawy, Sherif; Rahman Qasem, Adeeb Abdul; Bahader, Hussein; Al-Haj, Waleed Mohammed; Al-Qasus, Adnan Yahya; Ohiarlaithe, Micheal; Suliman, Hala; Ghimire, Pramila; AlSabahi, Mohammed; AlBasha, Muna; Alameri, Abdulhafeed; Akther, Shahida; Qahtani, Fadhl Abdullah; Basaleem, Mohammed; Hassan, Mustafa; Bawazir, Samah

Citation

Bliznashka, Lilia; Michail, Monica George; Elsabbagh, Dalia; Gelli, Aulo; et al. 2025. Effect of adding milk to a micronutrient fortified high-energy biscuit school feeding programme in Yemen: A cluster-randomised controlled trial. Journal of Nutrition 155(9): 2955-2964. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.06.021

Keywords

Capacity Building; School Feeding; Conflicts; Emergencies; Schoolchildren; Dietary Diversity; Randomized Controlled Trials

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.06.021 Source record

Project

Fragility, Conflict, and Migration

Record type

Journal Article

Resource thumbnail

Journal Article

Interventions on fruit and vegetable intake in low-, middle-, and high-income countries: A scoping review of evidence and knowledge gaps

2025
Azupogo, Fusta; Koyratty, Nadia; Smith, Taryn J.; Hinnouho, Guy-Marino; Tharaney, Manisha; Bliznashka, Lilia; Amunga, Dorcas A.; Angeles-Agdeppa, Imelda; Goyena, Eva; Grant, Frederick
…more Kinabo, Joyce; Mitchodigni, Irene Medeme; Silva, Renuka; Sitisekara, Hasara; Olney, Deanna K.; Hess, Sonja Y.
Details

Interventions on fruit and vegetable intake in low-, middle-, and high-income countries: A scoping review of evidence and knowledge gaps

Background Adequate fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake is important for health, yet populations globally are failing to meet recommendations. Objective A scoping review to summarize available evidence of evaluations of interventions to increase F&V intake globally, focusing on target populations, intervention strategies, research methods, and summarizing their evaluated impacts. Methods We searched PubMed and Web of Science in February 2023 for intervention studies in which dietary intake of fruit and/or vegetables were documented. Eligible studies included all age groups, excluding those targeting populations with specific disease-related conditions, such as cancer patients/survivors. Only articles published in English since 2012 were included in the review. Results We identified 6338 articles, with 226 meeting inclusion criteria, comprising 223 unique studies and 284 intervention comparisons. Most comparisons occurred in high-income countries (n = 192) compared to low- and middle-income countries (n = 92). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs; 37.3%) and cluster RCTs (52.5%) were predominant. Interventions primarily targeted adults (31.7%), school-aged children (18.0%), children under-five (14.4%), and adolescents (13.7%), lasting an average of 24 weeks (range: 2 weeks to 20 years). Food-frequency questionnaires (59.2%) and 24-h recalls (26.8%) were the most used dietary assessment method. Health and nutrition education (75.9%) was the most common intervention, utilizing interpersonal communication, mass media, and information-communication technology, often in combinations. Positive impacts on fruit (43.9%), vegetable (40.2%), and combined F&V intake (53.0%) were observed in nearly half the intervention comparisons. Conclusions These findings highlight the predominance of health and nutrition education interventions, predominantly in high-income countries, showing mixed success in improving F&V intake, emphasizing the need for context-specific strategies and standardized methodologies to design sustainable, cost-effective interventions for better diet quality and health outcomes.

Year published

2025

Authors

Azupogo, Fusta; Koyratty, Nadia; Smith, Taryn J.; Hinnouho, Guy-Marino; Tharaney, Manisha; Bliznashka, Lilia; Amunga, Dorcas A.; Angeles-Agdeppa, Imelda; Goyena, Eva; Grant, Frederick; Kinabo, Joyce; Mitchodigni, Irene Medeme; Silva, Renuka; Sitisekara, Hasara; Olney, Deanna K.; Hess, Sonja Y.

Citation

Azupogo, Fusta; Koyratty, Nadia; Smith, Taryn J.; Hinnouho, Guy-Marino; Tharaney, Manisha; Bliznashka, Lilia; et al. 2025. Interventions on fruit and vegetable intake in low-, middle-, and high-income countries: A scoping review of evidence and knowledge gaps. Food and Nutrition Bulletin 46(1_suppl): S5 – S18. https://doi.org/10.1177/03795721251314141

Keywords

Fruits; Vegetables; Health; Nutrition; Nutrition Education; Diet

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-NC-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1177/03795721251314141 Source record

Project

Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets

Record type

Journal Article

Events

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

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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 […]

10th annual Agriculture, Nutrition and Health (ANH) Academy Week
IFPRI Program/Country Event

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June 16 to 26, 2025

10th annual Agriculture, Nutrition and Health (ANH) Academy Week

IFPRI is participating in the 10th annual Agriculture, Nutrition and Health (ANH) Academy Week from June 16-26, 2025. The ANH Academy Week is a series of annual events that bring together the community of researchers, practitioners and policymakers working at the intersection of agriculture, food systems, nutrition and health. The objective of the ANH Academy […]

School meals in the 21st century - emerging evidence and future directions
IFPRI Policy Seminar

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January 28, 2025, 9:30 – 11:00 am

School meals in the 21st century – emerging evidence and future directions

Undernutrition during childhood and early adolescence has long-term consequences for development and health, and for girls it can affect the survival and wellbeing of their children. Diet-related risk factors are estimated to cause 20% of global mortality, and changes in food systems have led to rapid shifts to unhealthy diets and reductions in physical activity, […]

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News

July 11, 2023 | Press Release

Women key to crop success in low-income countries

This post is a slightly modified version of the original press release issued by the University of Edinburgh. Empowering women farmers in low and middle-income countries can lead to greater crop diversity helping to improve year-round supply of healthy foods, suggests a new article published in The Lancet Planetary Health by a group of authors including […]

July 11, 2023 | In the News

Editorial: Empower women to grow (The Lancet Planetary Health)

“Almost half of the world’s agricultural workers are women and women farmers produce up to 80% of the food grown in LMICs. Despite their large contribution to agricultural labor, fewer than 20% of landowners globally are women,” writes The Lancet Planetary Health in an editorial featuring a new article co-authored by IFPRI’s Lilia Bliznashka, Aulo Gelli, and […]