
Research & Publications
Free access to Holt’s research materials on child nutrition and health!
On This Page:
Research to Meet the Needs of Children
In the course of their work, Holt staff members gather data and conduct research to better meet the needs of the orphaned and vulnerable children, families and individuals we serve. Read scholarly articles, manuals and other publications produced by Holt International staff members.
Featured Publications

Holt International’s Child Nutrition Program: Community Flipbook
Holt International’s community flipbook supports community training. Holt’s community resource manual provides additional information for the content in this flipbook. Contact [email protected] for additional versions in other languages including Amharic, Chinese, Filipino, Kannada, Luganda, Marathi, Mongolian, Vietnamese and French.

Feeding practices of children within institution-based care: A retrospective analysis of surveillance data, 2022
An analysis of the feeding practices of 3,335 children participating in Holt’s child nutrition program living in institution-based care from six countries.
DeLacey, E., Allen, E., Tann, C., Groce, N., Hilberg, E., Quiring, M., Kaplan, T., Smythe, T., Kaui, E., Catt, R., Miller, R., Gombo, M., Dam, H., & Kerac, M. (2022).

Holt International’s Feeding and Positioning Manual: Guidelines for Working with Babies and Children
This manual is intended to support the caregivers of infants and children by providing information regarding safe feeding practices. Additionally, this manual provides general information on infant and child development, critical milestones for caregivers to monitor, and helpful strategies that support not only feeding but enrich the overall well-being of each and every child.
Nutrition Resources
Holt International’s Child Nutrition Program: Community Flipbook
Holt International’s community flipbook supports community training. Holt’s community resource manual provides additional information for the content in this flipbook. Contact [email protected] for additional versions in other languages including Amharic, Chinese, Filipino, Kannada, Luganda, Marathi, Mongolian, Vietnamese and French.
Holt International’s Child Nutrition Program: Feeding and Positioning Training
The Holt International Child Nutrition Program feeding and positioning training supports caregivers with information on feeding and positioning of children during mealtimes, including for children with disabilities. Holt’s feeding and positioning manual provides additional information for the content in this training. Contact [email protected] for additional versions in other languages including Amharic, Chinese, Filipino, Kannada, Luganda, Marathi, Mongolian, Vietnamese and French.
Holt International’s Feeding and Positioning Manual: Guidelines for Working with Babies and Children
This manual is intended to support the caregivers of infants and children by providing information regarding safe feeding practices. Additionally, this manual provides general information on infant and child development, critical milestones for caregivers to monitor, and helpful strategies that support not only feeding but enrich the overall well-being of each and every child.
Holt International’s Child Nutrition Program: Community Resource Manual
Holt International’s community resource manual supports community training. Contact [email protected] for additional versions in other languages including Amharic, Chinese, Filipino, Kannada, Luganda, Marathi, Mongolian, Vietnamese and French.
Nutrition Publications
Feeding practices of children within institution-based care: A retrospective analysis of surveillance data, 2022
An analysis of the feeding practices of 3,335 children participating in Holt’s child nutrition program living in institution-based care from six countries.
DeLacey, E., Allen, E., Tann, C., Groce, N., Hilberg, E., Quiring, M., Kaplan, T., Smythe, T., Kaui, E., Catt, R., Miller, R., Gombo, M., Dam, H., & Kerac, M. (2022). Feeding practices of children within institution-based care: A retrospective analysis of surveillance data. Maternal & Child Nutrition, e13352.
The Nutritional Status of Individuals Adopted Internationally as Children: A Systematic Review
A review of the nutritional status of individuals adopted internationally as children, highlighting the needs of vulnerable children in changing environments.
Ivey, R.; Kerac, M.; Quiring, M.; Dam, H.T.; Doig, S.; DeLacey, E. The Nutritional Status of Individuals Adopted Internationally as Children: A Systematic Review. Nutrients 2021, 13, 245.
The Nutritional Status of Children Living in Institution-Based Care, 2021
An analysis of the nutritional status of 2,926 children participating in Holt’s child nutrition program living in institution-based care from six countries.
DeLacey E, Hilberg E, Allen E, et al. Nutritional status of children living within institution-based care: a retrospective analysis with funnel plots and control charts for programme monitoring. BMJ Open 2021;11:e050371. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-050371
The Nutritional Status of Children Living Within Institutionalized Care: A Systematic Review
A review on the nutritional status of children living within institutionalized care, including infants and children with special needs.
DeLacey E, Tann C, Groce N, Kett M, Quiring M, Bergman E, Garcia C, Kerac M. 2020. The nutritional status of children living within institutionalized care: a systematic review. PeerJ 8:e8484
The Child Nutrition Program: A Nutrition and Feeding Intervention
Improve health, growth and development for children living within institutionalized care by increasing and improving caregivers’ knowledge of nutrition and feeding best practices.
DeLacey E; DiGiallonardo A; Bergman E; Hilberg E; The Child Nutrition Program: A Nutrition and Feeding Intervention; 2018 Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2018.06.132
Conferences & Presentations
International Conference on Nutrition and Growth, 2021
Upward of 9.42 million children live within institutionalized care worldwide. This retrospective analysis aimed to describe the nutrition-related epidemiology of children living within institutionalized care and explore the use of control charts and funnel plots for program monitoring.
E. Delacey, E. H., E. Allen, M. Quiring, C. Tann, N. Groce, J. Vilus, E. Bergman, M. DemasuAy, H. Dam, M. Kerac (2021). The Nutritional Status of Children Living Within Institutionalized Care with Control Charts and Funnel Plots for Program Monitoring. 8th International Conference on Nutrition and Growth. https://nutrition-growth.kenes.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/131/2021/08/E-posters-Abstracts-1.pdf
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Poster Conference, 2021
Upward of 9.42 million children live within institutionalized care worldwide. This retrospective analysis aimed to describe the nutrition-related epidemiology of children living within institutionalized care and explore the use of control charts and funnel plots for program monitoring.
American Society of Nutrition Poster Presentation, 2020
An estimated 2.7 million children live within institutionalized care worldwide. This systematic review aimed to evaluate available data on the nutritional status of children living within institutionalized care.
Emily De Lacey, Cally Tann, Nora Groce, Maria Kett, Michael Quiring, Ethan Bergman, Caryl Garcia, Marko Kerac, A Systematic Review of the Nutritional Status of Children Living in Institutionalized Care, Current Developments in Nutrition, Volume 4, Issue Supplement_2, June 2020, Page 822, https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzaa053_027
Research for Nutrition Conference — Action Against Hunger (ACF), 2019
There are an estimated 2.7 million children living within institutionalized care worldwide. This review aimed to evaluate currently available data on the nutrition status of children living within institutionalized care.