Performance Assessment and analysis of Specialized Nutrition and Food Security Working Group in Achiveing Strategic Goals of National Nutrition and Food Security Document in Iran

Formulation of the National Nutrition and Food Security Document (NNFSD) is an important effort in the field of operationalizing Iran’s upstream food and nutrition documents. This study aimed to assess and analyze the performance of the Specialized Nutrition and Food Security Working Group in achieving strategic goals of NNFSD.

Qualitative content analysis was carried out on existing documents of the Supreme Council of Health and Food Security. The executive quality of the sessions was assessed on the basis of three indicators, including existence of evidence-based reports, clear approvals, and follow-up of approvals. The main themes were presented separately for the strategic objectives in the form of three broad categories, including challenges, approaches, and related actions. The qualitative analysis of data was performed using MAXQDA software.

Most of the Specialized Working Group’s sessions only focused on five of the seventeen strategic goals, including decreasing the main risk factors of agricultural and food products, decreasing the amounts of salt, sugar, and fats in foods and drink, while increasing average intake of the basic items in food basket, stablishing food fortification, and increasing nutritional literacy of target groups. Of 71 sessions held, the quality of 16 sessions (22.5%) was acceptable and only 43 approvals (31.2%) out of 138 in working group’s sessions were followed up and performed.

The need for serious and documented follow-up of approvals, improving presented reports with referring to sufficient evidence, and also more comprehensive coverage of issues and problems in the field of food and nutrition confirms the necessity of revision, strengthening performance and management of the mentioned working group.