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Sevaun Palvetzian is the CEO of UNICEF Canada
There may be some ‘science experiments’ at the back of your fridge (no judgement!) But a lifesaving research breakthrough was inspired by a product you may have in your pantry: Nutella.
Almost 30 years ago, French pediatric nutritionist André Briend was working in Malawi researching options to treat malnutrition for children.
It was recommended to provide children with meal powder, but it had to be mixed with oil, sugar, and water – which wasn’t readily available, and when it was, the water was often contaminated in the mixing process.
André knew a simpler form was needed. And after seeing a jar of Nutella on his kitchen table, he realized the ingredients matched those needed, all in one form. Together he worked with pediatricians Dr. Mark Manary and Dr. Patricia B. Wolff to produce a nutritious food paste that could be packaged in foil. Easy enough for a child to open and eat. Packed with what a child needed to survive. Their innovative product? Plumpy’Nut®.
Packed with high-energy peanut paste, sugar, vegetable oil, skimmed milk powder, and tons of vitamins and minerals. Last week, André Briend was awarded the 2025 John Dirks Canada Gairdner Foundation Global Health Award for his work in this area. This is a profound honour for a leading mind. And a game changer for the lives of children.
The 2025 John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award laureate is recognized for outstanding achievements in global health research:
André Briend, MD, Ph.D.
Former Senior Scientist, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement; Adjunct Professor, Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland; Affiliated Professor, Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Demark
Awarded “For the invention of a ready-to-use therapeutic food, which has revolutionized management of severe acute malnutrition in children, allowing treatment to shift from inpatient care to community-based management and saving countless lives.”
The Work:
Dr. André Briend has made transformative contributions to the treatment of malnutrition, particularly through his pioneering work in the development of ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTFs) and the use of mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) as a simplified diagnostic and monitoring tool.
Dr. Briend was instrumental in formulating RUTFs as a highly nutritious, shelf-stable paste that requires no preparation or refrigeration, making it ideal for use in resource-limited settings. This innovation has revolutionized the treatment of severe acute malnutrition, enabling millions of children to receive life-saving therapy in their homes rather than in hospitals. Over 50 countries now implement RUTFs in community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) programs, treating an estimated 8 million children annually. His contributions have been vital in reducing malnutrition-related mortality and improving recovery rates.
The Impact:
The introduction of MUAC as a primary tool for identifying malnourished children simplified diagnosis and allowed for rapid scale-up of CMAM programs. By focusing on MUAC measurements rather than more complex weight-for-height indices, healthcare workers, even in remote areas, can quickly identify at-risk children and initiate treatment. This approach has greatly expanded access to care, especially in low-resource and conflict-affected settings.
Combining a simple measure to identify at-risk children with easily distributed RUTFs, Dr. Briend’s work has been pivotal in reducing mortality from childhood malnutrition in at-risk populations. His innovations have not only improved outcomes but also enabled the integration of malnutrition treatment into broader health systems, supporting the long-term goal of reducing malnutrition on a global scale.
Watch a short video about their research
2025 John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award
The 2025 John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award laureate is recognized for outstanding achievements in global health research:
André Briend, MD, Ph.D.
Former Senior Scientist, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement; Adjunct Professor, Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland; Affiliated Professor, Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Demark
Awarded “For the invention of a ready-to-use therapeutic food, which has revolutionized management of severe acute malnutrition in children, allowing treatment to shift from inpatient care to community-based management and saving countless lives.”
The Work:
Dr. André Briend has made transformative contributions to the treatment of malnutrition, particularly through his pioneering work in the development of ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTFs) and the use of mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) as a simplified diagnostic and monitoring tool.
Dr. Briend was instrumental in formulating RUTFs as a highly nutritious, shelf-stable paste that requires no preparation or refrigeration, making it ideal for use in resource-limited settings. This innovation has revolutionized the treatment of severe acute malnutrition, enabling millions of children to receive life-saving therapy in their homes rather than in hospitals. Over 50 countries now implement RUTFs in community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) programs, treating an estimated 8 million children annually. His contributions have been vital in reducing malnutrition-related mortality and improving recovery rates.
The Impact:
The introduction of MUAC as a primary tool for identifying malnourished children simplified diagnosis and allowed for rapid scale-up of CMAM programs. By focusing on MUAC measurements rather than more complex weight-for-height indices, healthcare workers, even in remote areas, can quickly identify at-risk children and initiate treatment. This approach has greatly expanded access to care, especially in low-resource and conflict-affected settings.
Combining a simple measure to identify at-risk children with easily distributed RUTFs, Dr. Briend’s work has been pivotal in reducing mortality from childhood malnutrition in at-risk populations. His innovations have not only improved outcomes but also enabled the integration of malnutrition treatment into broader health systems, supporting the long-term goal of reducing malnutrition on a global scale.
Watch a short video about their research
That's appropriate technology at its best - easy, healthy and tasty.
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