The Development of Global Child and Adolescent-Centred Nutrition Indicators (CAN_I): Summary Report

In December 2021 the world came together at the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth (N4G) under the leadership of the Government of Japan. The summit was the third global pledging moment, designed to drive greater action toward ending malnutrition and helping ensure everyone, everywhere can reach their full potential. Further to this, The Lancet adolescent nutrition series has highlighted how this age group has been neglected in national and global plans and policies. To help address this gap the Lancet series made 10 key recommendations to improve adolescent nutrition. Of these recommendations, the second recommendation looked at the need to “Strengthen and extend national data collection systems to include standardised indicators and determinants of adolescent nutritional status, and coverage of interventions among both adolescent boys and girls”. Along with this, recommendation number ten states that “All nutrition constituents should partner with young people in advocacy for diets that are healthy, safe, and sustainable”. The development of the Child and Adolescent-centred Nutrition Indicators (CAN_I) enables both recommendations to occur. Developed with children and adolescents, the CAN_I indicator index houses a suite of 89 indicators which are categorised into 16 domains, as highlighted by children and adolescents as being the main areas of influence on their nutrition. The domains sit under five components, which position the indicators in a socio-ecological model.