Nutrition Modeling Tools: A Qualitative Study of Influence on Policy Decision Making and Determining Factors

Nutrition modeling tools (NMTs) generate evidence to inform policy and program decision-making; however, the literature is generally limited to modeling methods and results, rather than use cases and their impacts. This research aimed to document the policy influences of 12 NMTs and identify factors influencing them. The study conducted semistructured interviews with 109 informants from 30 low- and middle-income country case studies and used thematic analysis to understand the data. NMT applications contributed to enabling environments for nutrition and influenced program design and policy in most cases.