Child Nutrition Assessment Programme using Vitamin Tracker and Lab test

‘Child Nutrition Assessment Drive’ was conducted in the wake of growing burden of nutritional deficiency among children below 10 years in India by Mutelcor GmbH in New Delhi, INDIA. The study was performed in collaboration with Panchsheel Park Govt. School in New Delhi, India.

Assessment Need

Child Malnutrition Burden in Developing Nations:

  • Accounts for 11 per cent of the global burden of disease and is considered the #1 risk to health globally.
  • Is an underlying cause of the death of 2.6 million children each year
  • One in four of the world’s children are stunted, because of malnutrition.
  • One of the key focus of UNITED NATIONS Millennium Development Goals is to combat nutritional deficiency in children, eradicate burden of stunting & wasting.
  • The World Bank estimates that India is one of the highest ranking countries in the world for the number of children suffering from malnutrition.
  • Young children in India suffer from some of the highest levels of stunting, underweight, and wasting observed in any country in the world, and 7 out of every 10 young children are anemic.

Study Objective

The objective of the study was to cite the nutritional deficiency in the children aged below 10 years belonging to economically weaker section using EAV technology based mobile health diagnostic device as well as lab method and therefore assess the selected Vitamins/Mineral levels and compare the results of selected micronutrients using reports from Vitamin Tracker vs. Lab test.

Activity

Vitamins & Minerals levels were detected in school going children using the following method:

  • Lab Test
  • Vitamin Tracker Device, Designed & Manufactured in Croatia

Subject and Methods

  • Intervention Group Size: 30 Children participated in the volunteer study
  • Inclusion Criteria – Age Group: 6 Years – 10 Years, parent consent
  • Exclusion Criteria – Usage of Medication, Ongoing Treatment
  • Consent: School committee members as well as parents signed a form of consent prior to measurement
  • Methods Used: Blood Test and Vitamin Tracker EAV Device
  • Blood Test Samples were taken after 12 hours overnight fasting and subsequently the vitamin/mineral measurements were taken using Vitamin Tracker device
  • Assessment parameters were selected basis the essential supplements provided to children below the age of 10 to meet nutrition and dietary requirements

Assessments

Vitamin A Vitamin B 12 Vitamin D Calcium
Zinc Hemoglobin Protein  

 

Result Comparison (Lab Test vs. Vitamin Tracker) is as below:

Vitamin Tracker vs. Lab Measurement Result

  • Matched
  • Closely Match
  • Do not Match

Outcome: Vitamin Tracker device measurements matched the lab tests as per the data shown in the graph above.

Nutrition Report of the children was handed over to the teachers so as to apprise and convince the parents to make amendments in the child’s daily dietary intake to improve upon the nutritional deficiencies.

 

Nutrition Assessment Future Scope in India

• Vitamin & Mineral Lab Tests cost anywhere between 40 USD – 100 USD in India making it difficult for the citizens to check the nutritional deficiencies proactively unless advised by the clinician. A low cost noninvasive assessment method shall motivate the population to check nutritional deficiency regularly and improve health outcomes.

• Govt. Of India provides plant-based mid-day meals to over 1.3 million school children in government and government-aided schools in India. under various nutrition schemes. The children are also provided with nutrition supplements to eradicate the possibility of stunting/wasting and malnutrition. Under National Nutritional Anaemia Prophylaxis programme, Children 6-10 year old are provided 30 mg elemental iron and 250 mcg folic acid per child per day for 100 days in a year. Adolescents, 11-18 years are supplemented at the same doses and duration as adults.

• By using a non-invasive nutritional assessment method such as Vitamin Tracker; Public Health stakeholders and various other Non Profit organizations/foundations running Child Health Nutrition Projects can track nutritional deficiencies, improvements and measure effectiveness of meals and supplements provided to the children , re-design the nutrition programmes basis the assessment results and therefore improve child nutrition outcomes.