Background: The rates of stunting, iron-deficiency anemia, and vitamin A deficiency in Peru are among the highest in South America. There is little scaled-up experience on how to solve these problems countrywide.
Objective: To evaluate the Good Start in Life Program during the period from 2000 to 2004.
Methods: Data on weight, height, hemoglobin, serum retinol, urinary iodine, and age were obtained from children under 3 years of age during two transverse surveys in 2000 and 2004.
Results: In 2004, the program covered 75,000 children, 35,000 mothers, and 1 million inhabitants from 223 poor communities. The rate of stunting decreased from 54.1% to 36.9%, the rate of iron-deficiency anemia decreased from 76.0% to 52.3%, and the rate of vitamin A deficiency decreased from 30.4% to 5.3% (p < .01). The annual cost per child was US$116.50.
Conclusions: Adaptations of this participative program could contribute to decreased stunting, iron-deficiency anemia, and vitamin A deficiency at the national scale in Peru and many other countries.