Define nutrition surveys?

 Nutritional assessment system;

Nutrition survey;

Nutrition survey are systemic collection of accurate data relating to nutritional status of human population in a certain geographic area. Data thus obtained is used for nutrition assessment of the target population and development of policies and framework relating to health and nutrition. 

Nutrition survey are aimed to collect data related to food consumption' and nutritional status and intake f nutrients by population aged more than 1.5 years. Nutrition survey provides an insight in to nutritional patterns across population groups.

These survey can help in investigating trends, detecting regions of inequality and evaluating policy intervention. Moreover, nutrition survey help to establish relationship among physical inactivity, dietary  habits and risk of nutritional disorder. GE

Nutrition survey are conducted to achieve the following aims and objective;

1)Identification of major nutrition related challenges, their gravity, geographical, distribution, population vulnerability and contributing factor.

2)To establish baseline data and estimate the risk of nutritional emergency.

3)Conduct impact assessment of malnutrition on health of the population.

4)Devising appropriate nutrition interventions, evaluating the progress or effectiveness of ongoing programs and their scaleup potential.

5)To assess the prevalence of healthy behavior, access to services, breastfeeding etc.

Type of survey;

Following ae the different type of survey conducted for nutritional assessment.

Longitudinal survey;

In longitudinal survey data in is gathered from the same group of individuals/cohort over a time period (with new subject added to retain numbers).

Longitudinal studies encompass information collected directly in a survey of individuals or households. Surveys involving individuals over  time period can be of two types, panel or cohort surveys.

Retrospective survey;

Data in retrospective survey is based on the respondent's past memory e.g what way your father data tend to be less reliable but can provide useful insight in to the past and supplement the information that is current at the time of interview. Examples include employment or occupational histories.

Cross- sectional survey;

Cross sectional studies are used to measure the exposure and health out comes simultaneously in a given population. They are observational studies aimed to estimate the disease prevalence and assess the nutritional status of selected population group. 

Survey provide either baseline nutritional data or the nutritional status of over all population groups. Different population sub-groups at risk of chronic malnutritional are identified and described through cross -sectional survey.

Acute malnutrition possible causes of malnutrition are mostly not identified by such survey, although they can be initial step for the investigation of causes related to malnutrition. Following are the example of cross-sectional surveys commonly conducted all over the  globe:

National health and nutrition examination survey (NHNES):

Various national bodies are signed to conduct health and nutrition surveys to assess nutritional status across different geographic regions and population, groups and design nutrition interventions. 

For example: National center for health statistics conduct series of health -related studies named as national health and nutrition examination survey, a cross- sectional survey of the U.S population which provides information about health and nutritional status.

The health and nutrition information is collected through personal interviews. The survey comprises of both physical examination (measurement of height and weight, B.P and blood sample collection for analyzing  biochemical markers of nutritional deficiencies through mobile examination centers. 

This information is used to estimate prevalence of different diseases/deficiencies and help in planning health or nutrition policies.

National nutrition survey (NNS):

In Pakistan, national nutrition survey are conducted almost every decade by the nutrition wing of ministry of nutritional health services, regulations and coordination. NNS is a cross-sectional survey and provide valuable information about the nutritional status, health seeking behavior, food security and program coverage at national level.

It is a set of data comprising environmental, anthropometric and biochemical indicators that provide way forward to policy markers, program managers and academicians.

Demographic and health survey (DHS):

Demographic and health surveys are nationally representative surveys of household are conducted globally in over 85 countries since 1984. Initially, the DHS were framed to build on fertility, family planning and demographic data gathered in the world. Fertility surveys and contraceptive prevalence surveys.

However, DHS continue to serve as a valuable database of information to monitor vital statistics and population health indicators among low and middle income countries.

DHS is also a cross-sectional survey which gathers comparable population based data on fertility child and mother, health and nutrition.

The DHS assist developing countries in the gathering and utilization of data to evaluate and monitor vulnerable population, nutrition or health programs.

 Between the two main types of DHS standard DHS involve large sample size ( usually ranges from 5000 to 30000 household ) and are typically conducted every 5 year to make comparison overtime.

The second type being interim DHS has a focus on information gathering on key performance indicator but may not encompass data for all outcome measures i.e. Mortality rates such surveys are carried out between rounds of standards DHS and have relatively shorter questionnaires.

Although nationally representative these survey have generally smaller sample size than standard DHS.

Define nutrition surveys?

What are aims and objectives of nutrition surveys?

What are types of nutrition survey?