ICMR-NIN scientists have developed a simple tool to detect nutrient deficiencies in school children

Researchers at ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN), Hyderabad, have developed a simple, context-specific dietary screening tool to assess dietary diversity and identify school-aged children (6–10 years) who may be at risk of micronutrient deficiencies.

Micronutrient deficiencies—often referred to as “hidden hunger”—remain a major public health problem in India and other low- and middle-income countries. Deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium, vitamin B12 and vitamin A can adversely affect children’s growth, immunity, cognitive development and academic performance, even when there are no visible signs of malnutrition, an official report said on Thursday.

The ICMR Dietary Guidelines for Indians (2024) recommend consuming a variety of foods from different food groups across all age groups. Now, an ICMR-NIN research team has developed a Dietary Diversity Score (DDS) specifically for Indian children aged 6-10 years, introducing a 13 food group rating system that classifies commonly consumed foods into context-specific groups based on micronutrient content.

Unlike conventional dietary assessments that rely on broad categories such as grains, fruits and vegetables, the DDS further subdivides these groups to capture variation in nutrient profiles. For example, foods rich in vitamin A – including green leafy vegetables, carrots, capsicums, onion stalks, papayas and mangoes – were placed in a separate category to improve the sensitivity of the micronutrient assessment.

A key feature of this tool is the minimum intake threshold of five grams per food group. This allows the DDS to take into account even small but nutritionally significant amounts of food, such as a few pieces of fruit or vegetables, a small portion of pulses or milk consumed as part of mixed meals.

This approach makes the tool particularly relevant to Indian dietary patterns, where nutrient-dense foods are often consumed in small amounts and as part of complex meals. The DDS was validated by comparing children’s dietary scores with the adequacy of 10 essential micronutrients and selected biomarkers of nutritional status.

Results showed a significant correlation between higher DDS scores, overall micronutrient adequacy, and hemoglobin levels. The study found that children who consumed foods from at least 10 of 13 food groups, with a minimum intake of five grams from each group, were significantly more likely to meet at least 70% of their daily micronutrient requirements.

“By translating comprehensive dietary assessments into an easy-to-use scoring tool, DDS offers a practical way to identify children at risk of micronutrient deficiencies and promote early nutritional interventions,” said ICMR-NIN scientist SubbaRao M. Gavaravarapu.

ICMR-NIN director Bharati Kulkarni said the tool could support school health programs, ICDS, parents, teachers and nutritionists, though further validation is needed in different regions of India before it can be widely implemented. The findings were published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the report added.

Published – 02 Jul 2026 19:37 IST