NAHARLAGUN, 23 Jan: The Arunachal Pradesh leg of the nationwide nutrition survey themed ‘Diet and biomarker study in India’ was kicked off by WCD Joint Secretary Jalash Pertin and TRIHMS Director Dr Moji Jini from the TRIHMS premises here on 22 January.
The survey, to be conducted in a span six months in six selected districts – Tawang, Papum Pare, Upper Subansiri, Tirap, Lohit and Kurung Kumey – aims to understand the nutritional status of the population and devise evidence-based nutrition strategies for India, Pertin informed in a release.
Hyderabad-based Indian Council of Medical Research – National Institute of Nutrition, in collaboration with the state’s health and WCD departments, is implementing the national nutrition survey in Arunachal.
It also aims to estimate the prevalence of anaemia and micronutrient deficiencies across various demographic groups, such as children under five years, children aged 5-9 years, adolescent boys and girls, adult men and women, and the elderly people.
The data collection process for the survey will be executed by two teams comprising 24 members, including two medical officers, nutritionists/dieticians, phlebotomists/lab technicians, social workers, and anthropologists.
“The information gathered will encompass household socioeconomic and demographic details, infant and young child feeding practices, anthropometric measurements, non-communicable disease, 24-hour dietary intake, cooked food samples, and blood samples,” the release said.
The blood samples will be analysed to estimate various parameters, such as haemoglobin, fasting blood glucose, and biomarkers including iron, B12, folate, vitamin A, etc, along with a lipid profile, it added.
