[Nutrition education or managing social communication for nutrition?]

Seven years ago Hygie published an article on the limits of conventional nutrition education in urban Africa. Strategies and methods in communication for nutrition have since evolved, incorporating results of international research to develop innovative, highly participative approaches. In this article the authors provide an extensive analysis of the different methodologies used in nutrition education programmes, in particular the KAB, social marketing, and community participation models, indicating main areas where each method used separately has failed. Members of the African Nutritional Education Network (RENA) have studied the above mentioned approaches, modifying them or integrating certain elements to adopt a more effective approach, which they consider somewhat as the management of social communication for nutrition education. Needs assessments and programme planning are largely enhanced by a causal analysis component specific to nutrition education in a community setting which has been developed by the authors. Other classic elements of programme implementation such as community participation, diversity of methods and intervention, are then combined with a multi-level/multi-actor evaluation processes to produce what the authors esteem to be a more effective nutrition education programme. They conclude, however, with the warning that although behavioural modifications brought about by nutrition communication and education might be beneficial for public health, they could have different, possibly adverse effects on other aspects of society. Effective nutrition education must therefore be included in a more extensive field of health promotion by acting on the multiple factors which influence the nutrition and health state of vulnerable groups.