This study is an independent evaluation of the adaptability WHO evidence-informed guidelines for nutrition actions. A mixed methods approach was used to determine the nutrition guideline’s adaptability, which was defined as methodological quality and implementability of guidelines.
Data sources for this evaluation included: official documentation and feedback from key stakeholders (both qualitative and quantitative), a desk review (qualitative data) and two waves of semi-structured interviews analyzed through axial coding (qualitative data). Guideline adaptability was assessed quantitatively using two standardized instruments completed by key stakeholders. The Appraisal Guideline for Research and Evaluation questionnaire, version II was used to assess guideline quality, while implementability was assessed with the electronic version of the GuideLine Implementability Appraisal.
Authors found that the nutrition evidence-informed guidelines are of good methodological quality but that the implementability requires improvement. Recommendations are provided to improve guideline adaptability, which address the guideline content, the dynamics shaping interdisciplinary work, and actions for implementation feasibility. The lessons learned may be applicable to guideline development across WHO and to other groups developing guidelines.