Abstract

Chile's National Supplementary Feeding Programme (NSFP) has universal coverage for children under 6 years of age, pregnant and nursing women. We describe the NSFP's main characteristics and analyse in a historic perspective, the different targeting strategies used since 1975 till the present. In addition, we provide a critical view of the principal evaluations carried out during that period. The information originates from papers and reports published either by investigators or government institutions. The programme provides two levels of benefits: one for participants with normal nutritional status and one for those that are underweight. Beneficiaries are entitled to receive the supplements only at a public health centre after complying with a health visit. Targeting strategies have used anthropometric indicators not only to determine who can become a recipient, but also as discharge criteria. Changes in these strategies have contributed in making the programme more cost effective since impact has been observed in the lowest income groups; approximately 80% of those targeted belong to the two lowest quintiles. In terms of total budget allocation, only 14% is received by the two richest quintiles. A limitation of the analysis we present in terms of identifying the causal relationship between the NSFP and nutritional improvement is the close linkage of the food programme with the primary health programme. Also, improved nutritional impact has been limited to only those with a real deficit, and that proportion is extremely low. © 2001 Elsevier Science Inc.