What is a key strategy in the Nutrition Program for improving nutritional status?

Food-based interventions are considered a key strategy in the Nutrition Program for improving nutritional status because they directly address dietary needs by ensuring access to a variety of nutritious foods. This involves initiatives such as promoting the consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins, as well as improving food distribution systems to make healthy food options more available to vulnerable populations.

These interventions also focus on enhancing the quality of diets, which is essential for addressing malnutrition and promoting health. By tackling the root causes of nutritional deficiencies—such as food insecurity or lack of diversity in diet—food-based interventions can lead to sustainable changes in nutritional status over time.

While cash assistance, awareness campaigns, and introducing new food products can play supportive roles in nutrition initiatives, they might not directly influence dietary practices or immediate access to healthier food choices as robustly as food-based interventions do. Cash assistance may help families purchase food, but it does not guarantee that they will choose healthy options. Awareness campaigns are valuable for educating the public about nutrition, but without access to healthy foods, the effect may be limited. Introducing new food products may improve dietary variety, but if those products are not accessible or appealing to the target population, the impact on nutritional status may be negligible.