Clinical Research Directory

Dietary Challenges in the Population of Nursing Homes' Residents

To obtain up-to-date data on nutritional status of older adults, a national dietary survey will be conducted in 2022/2023, providing data on the consumption of foods and enabling the assessment intakes of energy and specific nutrients. Participating subjects will be also screened for micronutrient status using blood biomarkers (focusing into vitamin D, folic acid, vitamin B12, and iron).

Effectiveness Study During the First 1,000 Days in Kenya

Malnutrition is a public health problem in Kenya, with 26% of children underfive years of age stunted, and 26% of pre-school children, 26% of women of reproductive age and 42% of pregnant women being anaemic, respectively. Agriculture is the main source of income, food and nutrients for the majority of rural families in Sub-Saharan Africa including Kenya. Most farmers are smallholders and are vulnerable to poor nutrition. Thus far, programmes have mostly focused on increasing yields and household income, but not on improving nutritional status. One Acre Fund (1AF) has over the past 10 years successfully introduced an agriculture programme to smallholder farmers in Western Kenya focusing on improving harvest. 1AF is therefore well placed to transform an existing and successful agriculture programme into the world's largest 'nutrition network' for farmers, and it is the hope that a partnership between Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) and 1AF will create a strong voice for nutrition within the agriculture sector. The project aims to use an integrated programme by introducing nutrition-sensitive (improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH): e.g. soap for hand washing) and nutritionspecific (e.g. micronutrient supplements) components to 1AF's agricultural programme. The impact of such an integrated programme will be assessed in a cluster randomized intervention study in pregnant women and - after delivery - their offspring until they reach two years of age comparing one group receiving the integrated intervention to another group receiving the agricultural intervention (already in place).

MMS, IFA, and MMS+IFA Supplementation in Pregnant Women

This study aims to compare the effectiveness of Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS), Iron-Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation, and combined MMS+IFA supplementation among pregnant women. Maternal anemia and micronutrient deficiencies are common during pregnancy and can adversely affect both maternal and neonatal health outcomes. A total of 402 pregnant women with gestational age of 20 weeks or less will be randomly assigned to receive MMS, IFA, or combined MMS+IFA supplementation. Participants will be followed throughout pregnancy until delivery. Maternal hemoglobin levels, maternal compliance with supplementation, and neonatal outcomes including birth weight, preterm birth, APGAR scores, and congenital anomalies will be assessed. The findings of this study will provide evidence to guide antenatal nutrition policies and practices in Pakistan.

Challenges in Achieving Adequate Dietary Status of Women

The aim of the study is to investigate the dietary habits of women of reproductive age (20-49 years). We aim to obtain epidemiological data on the intake and adequacy of key macronutrients and micronutrients, as well as to explore associations with various health indicators. Additionally, we will focus on the nutritional status of subgroups with specific dietary practices, such as vegetarians and vegans.