Abstract: | Food shortages are often localized and they are not always of paramount concern to national governments. On the other hand, food shortages always concern the community that goes hungry. A community nutrition surveillance system provides information to community leaders. With this information, the community may act in its own self-interest and thereby reduce the possibility of nutritional disaster. Working in Zaire, the author formulated and initiated a simple method of nutrition surveillance for African communities. This method of nutrition surveillance is designed to predict and show short-term trends of protein-energy malnutrition. It can be used to forecast and document famine, as well as modest variations in the nutritional status of the community. To be simple, yet useful, a community nutrition surveillance system must use easily identifiable indicators. The indicators should be quantifiable and readily obtained by community residents. This community nutrition surveillance system employs four indicators: rainfall, market prices, birth weights, and preschool weight-for-age. Indicator data is collected at least once a month. |