What types of nutrition supports do we fund?

December 19, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a 2020 Global Nutrition Report, an estimated $7 billion annually was needed to finance evidence-based nutrition interventions to achieve World Health Assembly targets. This highlights the significant investment required, and understanding what types of nutrition supports do we fund is crucial for identifying how these resources are allocated across the globe.

Quick Summary

This guide outlines the diverse range of nutrition supports that receive funding, including direct clinical interventions like supplements and enteral feeding, programmatic support for food security and health education, and assistance for access to nutritious foods.

Key Points

Clinical Interventions: Funding covers medical-grade nutrition supports like supplements, Home Enteral Nutrition (HEN), and Parenteral Nutrition (PN) for patients with specific health needs.
Community Programs: Resources are allocated to local food banks, school meal programs, and initiatives providing healthy groceries or medically tailored meals to address food insecurity.
Preventive Health: Large-scale public health funding targets food fortification programs with essential micronutrients and supplementary programs for vulnerable groups.
Professional Services: Funding provides for professional dietetic services, including nutritional counseling, meal planning, and therapeutic diets managed by qualified dietitians.
Multisectoral Approach: Effective funding models often involve partnerships between governments, NGOs, and the private sector to leverage resources and create systemic change.
Diverse Sources: Funding for nutritional support comes from a variety of sources, including government programs (USDA, NDIS), international organizations (UNICEF, WFP), foundations, and corporate giving.
Emergency Relief: In crisis situations, organizations fund and provide immediate food and nutritional assistance through specialized, ready-to-use foods.

Clinical and Medical Nutrition Support

Clinical and medical nutrition support is designed for individuals with specific health conditions that prevent them from receiving adequate nutrition through regular eating. This type of funding addresses acute nutritional deficiencies or chronic illnesses and is often provided by government health programs, medical foundations, or specialized agencies.

Oral Nutritional Supplements (ONS)

ONS are prescribed to individuals who cannot meet their nutritional requirements through diet alone. This may include high-protein and high-energy liquid formulas, fortified foods, or specific vitamin and mineral supplements. Funding may cover the cost of these products when they are deemed medically necessary for treating malnutrition or supporting recovery from illness.

Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition (HEN/PN)

For those who cannot consume food orally, Home Enteral Nutrition (HEN) or Parenteral Nutrition (PN) is a critical intervention. Funding for HEN includes the specialized formulas, equipment (pumps, tubes), and the professional support needed to administer and manage the feeding regimen at home. PN, involving nutrition delivered intravenously, is another form of advanced clinical support that requires significant funding.

Professional Dietetic Services

Funding for nutritional support often covers the costs associated with professional services from dietitians and nutritionists. These experts develop personalized meal plans, manage complex feeding regimes, and provide ongoing nutritional counseling. Support can also extend to addressing issues like dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) or sensory-related eating difficulties, particularly for individuals with disabilities.

Community-Based and Food Security Programs

Community programs focus on addressing the underlying causes of malnutrition and food insecurity at a broader population level. These initiatives are often supported by government agencies, NGOs, and foundations seeking to improve access to nutritious food and education.

Food Assistance and Food Banks

Funding supports food banks, mobile pantries, and food assistance programs that provide essential supplies to vulnerable families and individuals. Specialized funding might also cover interventions like 'medically tailored meals' and 'produce prescriptions,' which are designed to address the nutritional needs of people with diet-related health conditions.

School and Early Childhood Nutrition Programs

Many countries fund school-based programs, such as the National School Lunch Program, to ensure children from low-income families have access to nutritious meals. Additionally, funding is directed toward Early Childhood Supports, which focus on improving the nutrition of infants and young children during critical developmental periods.

Access and Education Support

Some programs fund direct assistance for individuals struggling with food access due to disability. This can include help with meal planning, shopping, and preparation, or the provision of prepared meal delivery services. Education and behavior change programs also receive funding to promote healthy eating habits within communities.

Public Health and Fortification Initiatives

These large-scale programs are typically funded by international development agencies, governments, and philanthropic foundations to address widespread nutritional deficiencies and improve public health outcomes globally.

Large-Scale Food Fortification

Funding supports initiatives that fortify staple foods with essential micronutrients to combat widespread deficiencies like iron or iodine. Examples include fortifying blended cereals, milk, or other widely consumed products to reach large populations efficiently.

Maternal and Child Health Programs

Investment in maternal and child health is a significant focus, with funding covering nutrient supplementation for pregnant women, promotion of breastfeeding, and specialized nutritious foods like Ready-to-Use Foods (RUFs) for treating severe acute malnutrition.

Nutrition in Emergencies

In emergency situations, funding is channeled through organizations like the World Food Programme to provide immediate food and nutritional assistance to affected populations. This includes distributing High-Energy Biscuits and other readily usable, specialized foods.

Comparison of Major Nutrition Support Funding Areas


Aspect	Clinical Support	Community Programs	Public Health Initiatives
Target	Individuals with specific medical needs	Vulnerable families and communities	Broad populations and at-risk groups
Focus	Direct nutritional intervention, treatment	Improving access, education, prevention	Large-scale prevention, addressing deficiencies
Examples	ONS, HEN, PN, Dietitian services	Food banks, school lunches, food delivery	Food fortification, micronutrient programs
Funding Source	Government health schemes, medical foundations	Government social programs, foundations, NGOs	International aid, government budgets, CSR
Goal	Restore or maintain nutritional status for health	Alleviate food insecurity, promote health	Eradicate malnutrition, improve public health

Conclusion

Funding for nutritional support is not a singular activity but a vast and multi-faceted effort that spans the spectrum from highly technical clinical interventions for individuals to broad-scale public health campaigns. The types of support funded include specialized medical formulas, dietitian consultations, meal delivery services, community food banks, school meal programs, and national food fortification projects. Diverse funding sources, including government aid, philanthropic foundations, NGOs, and private sector contributions, work in tandem to address the complex issue of malnutrition in its many forms. Recognizing the different types of funded nutrition supports is essential for understanding how to allocate resources effectively and strategically address nutritional needs across all levels of society. For more information on global nutrition efforts, consider visiting the World Food Programme.

Frequently Asked Questions

Funding comes from diverse sources, including government health and social programs (like the NDIS or USDA), international aid organizations (such as the World Food Programme), non-profit foundations, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

Yes, specialized funding exists for medical equipment. For example, some programs specifically provide for the products and equipment necessary for home enteral nutrition (HEN) for individuals who cannot consume food orally.

In many healthcare systems, funding for professional dietetic services is available. This can cover creating specialized meal plans, nutritional counseling, and managing therapeutic diets.

Schools often receive government grants and subsidies to run programs like the National School Lunch Program, ensuring that eligible students have access to nutritious meals and promoting good dietary habits.

Yes, organizations like the World Food Programme and UNICEF provide significant funding for emergency food relief. They distribute specialized, high-impact foods, like Fortified Blended Foods (FBFs) and Ready-to-Use Foods (RUFs), to treat and prevent malnutrition in vulnerable populations.

Public health initiatives often receive funding from international development agencies and foundations. These large-scale programs focus on preventative measures, such as fortifying staple foods with micronutrients and providing supplements to at-risk populations.

Yes, many corporations have Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs that focus on health and nutrition. These can involve providing funding to non-profits, donating fortified products, or implementing large-scale nutrition programs in underprivileged communities.

Yes, depending on the program and specific needs, some funding can cover services for individuals who require assistance with meal planning, shopping, and preparation, or include the cost of delivered, pre-prepared meals.