Nutritional Assessment and Dietary Intake in Pediatric Populations

Assessment of nutritional status in children integrates anthropometric measurements, biochemical indicators and detailed analysis of food consumption to inform growth, development and long-term health. Methods include dietary recalls, food diaries and questionnaires, together with body composition and biochemical assays, to evaluate both macronutrient and micronutrient intakes. Such assessments address the double burden of malnutrition, encompassing undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies on one hand, and overweight and obesity on the other. In addition to traditional approaches, digital technologies—from decision support systems to connected devices—are increasingly deployed to capture real-time data on dietary patterns and physical activity. Findings inform individualised dietary guidance, school and community feeding programmes, and national policy benchmarks such as Dietary Reference Intakes. Globally, accurate evaluation of intake and status underpins prevention of stunting, anaemia and diet-related noncommunicable diseases, and supports early interventions that shape lifelong eating habits.

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Nutritional Assessment and Dietary Intake in Pediatric Populations publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in nutritional assessment and dietary intake in pediatric populations across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Anthropometry: Measurement of body size and composition, including height, weight and circumferences.
Macronutrients: Nutrients required in large amounts—carbohydrates, proteins and fats—that supply energy and support growth.
Micronutrients: Vitamins and minerals needed in small quantities for metabolic processes and physiological development.
Dietary recall: Retrospective account of all food and drink consumed over a defined period, typically 24 hours.
Food frequency questionnaire: Structured tool that assesses habitual intake by asking how often specific foods are consumed over a set timeframe.
Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs): Nutrient intake benchmarks established to guide assessment and planning of diets for healthy populations.

References

1. Promoting Obesity Prevention and Healthy Habits in Childhood: The OCARIoT Experience. IEEE Journal of Translational Engineering in Health and Medicine (2023).
2. Dietary intakes and daily distribution patterns of macronutrients in youth soccer players. Frontiers in Nutrition (2023).
3. Usual Dietary Intake, Nutritional Adequacy and Food Sources of Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium and Vitamin D of Spanish Children Aged One to. Nutrients (2020).