ICMR-NIN scientists develop simple tool to detect nutrient deficiencies in school children

Researchers at the ICMR–National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN), Hyderabad, have developed a simple, context-specific dietary screening tool to assess diet diversity and identify school-age 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 challenge in India and other low- and middle-income countries. Deficiencies of 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, said an official release on Thursday.

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

Unlike conventional dietary assessments that rely on broad categories such as cereals, fruits and vegetables, the DDS further subdivides these groups to capture variations in nutrient profiles. For example, vitamin A-rich foods—including green leafy vegetables, carrots, capsicum, onion stalks, papaya and mango—were placed in a separate category to improve the sensitivity of micronutrient assessment.

A key feature of the tool is its minimum intake threshold of five grams per food group. This allows the DDS to account for even small yet nutritionally meaningful quantities of food, such as a few bites of fruits or vegetables, a small serving of pulses, or milk consumed as part of mixed dishes.

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

National Institute of Nutrition’specific dietary screening tool
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The results showed a significant correlation between higher DDS scores, overall micronutrient adequacy and haemoglobin levels. The study found that children who consumed foods from at least 10 of the 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 converting complex dietary assessments into an easy-to-use scoring tool, the DDS offers a practical way to identify children at risk of micronutrient inadequacy and support timely nutrition interventions,” said scientist at ICMR-NIN SubbaRao M. Gavaravarapu.

ICMR-NIN Director Bharati Kulkarni said the tool could support school health programmes, ICDS, parents, teachers and nutrition professionals, although further validation across diverse regions of India is needed before large-scale implementation. The findings have been published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, added the release.