FACILITATOR’S GUIDE 
           for COMMUNITY NUTRITION EDUCATION 
        
                                              April 2014        
                                                                             
                  How to Use this Document 
                  This short guide has been developed by the LEARN project as an initial resource for LIFT Implementing 
                  Partner staff who have received a nutrition training from LEARN.  It provides basic technical information 
                  on nutrition, covered during the LEARN training, as well as step-by-step instructions for three simple 
                  participatory nutrition activities that can be conducted by project staff in their communities. The 
                  objective is to encourage staff to start initial discussions about nutrition in their communities and to 
                  focus on a few simple key messages related to the importance of a diverse diet. It is not meant to 
                  prepare staff to conduct detailed nutrition trainings for their beneficiaries. 
                  The guide is organized into two parts: 1) Basic Nutrition & Food Groups and 2) Balanced Diet. The first 
                  section of each part provides technical information which should be studied by the facilitator. This 
                  information should not be read to or distributed as handouts to community members.  The steps for each 
                  activity should be carefully reviewed and prepared before conducting the activity in a community. To 
                  encourage discussion, it is recommended to conduct the activities with smaller groups of people. 
                  Tips for Conducting Activities 
                       •   Prepare well for the session 
                       •   Be professional and friendly 
                       •   Create a safe environment to learn and to make mistakes 
                       •   Be understanding and respectful of different opinions 
                       •   Draw from participants’ personal experiences                                 Adults learn: 
                                                                                                              What is useful to them 
                       •   Be attentive at all times                                                          When it is relevant to them 
                       •   Use simple words                                                                   At their own pace 
                       •   Be a good listener and encourage questions 
                       •   Wrap up each activity with the key messages 
                       •   After each session, think about how it can be improved next time 
                                                       
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            BASIC NUTRITION & THE FOOD GROUPS 
            Part 1 
                                       
         Different foods contain different nutrients that allow our bodies to grow and function. In order to be 
         healthy and for children to grow and develop normally, it is important to understand that a variety of 
         foods are needed in a healthy diet.  
         In Myanmar, we teach people about nutrition using the 3 food groups: energy foods, growth foods, and 
         protective  foods. However, there are also  other more technical names to describe the different 
         nutrients in our food.  
                                                               
         MACRONUTRIENTS are nutrients that we need in large quantities (“macro” means large). They include: 
          1.  Carbohydrates, which provide the main source of energy and are usually the largest part of a meal. 
            Rice is the most commonly consumed carbohydrate in Myanmar. 
          2.  Fat, which allows us to store energy and helps our bodies absorb some vitamins. Oil is a form of fat, 
            but fat is included in other foods, like meat, nuts and coconut. 
          3.  Protein, which is needed for growth and immune function. Meat, fish, eggs and beans all contain 
            protein. 
         MICRONUTRIENTS are needed in small quantities. There are over 30 types of vitamins & minerals, each 
         of which has a specific function in the body. We only need a little bit of each micronutrient, but they are 
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        so important that not having enough of certain micronutrients means a person can get very sick or 
        become disabled. Some examples of micronutrients and their functions are given in Table 2.  Vitamin A, 
        B1, and iron are three of the micronutrients that are lacking in many people’s diets in Myanmar. 
        Water is also essential to life, even though it is not always considered a nutrient group. 
        When talking to communities about nutrition in Myanmar, we use the 3 FOOD GROUPS, which is easier 
        to understand than the scientific terms. 
              The Energy group includes foods that are a good source of Carbohydrates or Fat 
              The Growth group includes foods that are a good source of Protein 
              The Protective group includes foods that are a good source of Micronutrients 
                                                       
        Many individual foods contain some protein, fat, carbohydrates and micronutrients and can belong to 
        more than one food group. However, to keep it simple, foods are usually categorized depending on 
        which nutrients they most contribute to a person’s diet. 
        Table 1 summarizes each food group and gives examples for each. 
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