Recommendations

(i) Integrate evaluation in the programme from the planning phase.

(ii) Clarify the purpose of the evaluation.

(iii) Develop an evaluation system which takes account of all phases of the nutrition education project.

(iv) Decide if the evaluation should be internal or external, or both.

(v) When evaluating inputs, make sure that programme objectives are properly specified and that they contain criteria, and that the activities are relevant and feasible.

(vi) When evaluating impact of nutrition education on diet, use combined dietary assessment methods in order to improve validity.

(vii) Use multiple methods (triangulation) in data collection and analyses. This will strengthen the validity of findings if the results produced by different methods are congruent.

(viii) In analyses, be careful to control for extraneous confounding factors and bias.

(ix) In efficiency analyses, select a cost-effectiveness analysis rather than a cost-benefit analysis because it is more appropriate for nutrition education programmes.

(x) In internal evaluation, assess the competence of the evaluator(s) needed for the evaluation. Be open to hiring consultants who are experts in methods not available in the programme, or for training of programme personnel.

(xi) Evaluation should be part of further training for nutrition personnel, and training in evaluation methodology should be provided for programme personnel.

(xii) Resources for evaluation should be specified in the general budget for nutrition education programmes.

(xiii) Adequate time should be allocated to nutrition education programmes, with the timing of the evaluation clearly identified.

(xiv) Make a plan for dissemination of the evaluation results and ensure that they are presented in ways which correspond to the needs and competencies of the relevant stakeholders.