Nutritional Assessment of Infants and Young Children
Summary
Nutritional assessment in early life employs a combination of anthropometric measurements, dietary surveys, biochemical assays and feeding‐practice evaluations to gauge growth, nutrient adequacy and developmental trajectory. Anthropometry—weight, length/height and head circumference—is interpreted against age‐ and sex‐specific growth charts to identify undernutrition, overweight or faltering growth. Dietary assessment techniques range from weighed food records and 24-hour recalls to caregiver questionnaires, capturing energy intake, macronutrient distribution and micronutrient sources. Biochemical markers in blood or urine, including haemoglobin, ferritin and vitamin D metabolites, provide objective insights into iron, vitamin A and vitamin D status. Feeding practice indicators, such as exclusive breastfeeding duration and timing of complementary feeding introduction, contextualise nutritional risks and inform public-health strategies. Together, these tools offer a multidimensional view of dietary imbalances, informing tailored interventions to reduce stunting, micronutrient deficiencies and overweight in diverse settings. Emerging approaches integrate digital dietary monitoring and metabolomic profiling to enhance precision and early detection of subtle nutrient shortfalls.
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Nutritional Assessment of Infants and Young Children publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in nutritional assessment of infants and young children across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Anthropometry: Systematic measurement of body size and composition (e.g., weight, length/height) to assess growth and nutritional status.
Dietary Reference Values (DRVs): Age- and sex-specific nutrient intake recommendations used to evaluate dietary adequacy or excess.
Complementary Feeding: Introduction of solid and semi-solid foods alongside continued breastfeeding, typically beginning at six months.
Exclusive Breastfeeding: Feeding an infant only breast milk, without any additional liquids or solids, for the first six months.
Micronutrient Adequacy: Sufficient intake of vitamins and minerals to meet physiological requirements and support growth and immune function.
References
- Unfavorable nutrient intakes in children up to school entry age: results from the nationwide German KiESEL study. Frontiers in Nutrition (2024).
- Adherence to Infant Feeding Guidelines in the First Foods New Zealand Study. Nutrients (2023).
- Food Consumption Patterns of Infants and Toddlers: Findings from the Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS) 2016. Journal of Nutrition (2018).
- Beverage Consumption Patterns among Infants and Young Children (0–47.9 Months): Data from the Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study, 2016. Nutrients (2018).
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