Outcome Evaluation Study of the Targeted Supplementary Food (TSF) Program in Ethiopia

The Targeted Supplementary Food (TSF) program is a large supplementary feeding program targeted to children less than 5 years of age and pregnant or lactating women who screen positive for acute malnutrition during 6-monthly interventions in selected areas of Ethiopia. The TSF program distributes food twice, at 3 month intervals, to enrolled children. There is no monitoring of nutritional response and therefore no discharge criteria. Children may be re-admitted to the program at a subsequent screening if they again screen positive for acute malnutrition.
A recent large evaluation recommended that outcomes be measured to demonstrate its program effectiveness. This study was implemented to determine if there are differences in nutritional outcomes between children who receive TSF food and those who do not. Both program effectiveness and efficacy were measured.