Enhancing Milk Consumption by Vulnerable Household Members in Rural Nepal

NCT05525429 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: STUDY00002768
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 1,873
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Diet quality is generally poor in rural Nepal, especially among vulnerable household members. Consumption of milk (and other animal source foods \[ASF\]) could contribute to improvements in diet quality. However, multiple cultural, structural and economic barriers constrain the inclusion of ASF in the diet in these households, even though most raise dairy animals. This study will

1. 1.characterize these barriers in detail
2. 2.conduct a randomized controlled trial to test a multi-dimensional behavior change intervention designed to increase ASF/milk consumption by young children 6-60 months, adolescent girls 10-15 years, and women of child-bearing age (WCBA).

Conditions

Undernutrition

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Number of Animal Source Foods Consumed in prior 24 hours (diet recall survey), baseline to endline

  Impact of nutrition education on diet of mothers, children 6-60 months, and adolescent girls will compared between baseline and endline.

  ~1 year

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Change in height-for-age z score from baseline to endline for children 6-60 months

  ~1 year

• Change in head circumference-for-age z score from baseline to endline for children 6-60 months

  ~1 year

• Change in BMI from baseline to endline for adolescent girls

  ~1 year

Study Arms (2)

Nutrition Education

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Households in this arm will participate in a multidimensional nutrition education intervention, including (1) didactic training on family nutrition (mothers, fathers, adolescent girls), (2) participatory learning activities (mothers, fathers, adolescent girls), (3) model kitchens (mothers, adolescent girls), and (4) Nutrition Club (adolescent girls).

Behavioral: Nutrition Education

Control

NO INTERVENTION

No intervention will be provided. After the research period is complete, the Control group will receive all inputs described above, but no data will be collected during this time period.

Interventions

Nutrition Education BEHAVIORAL

Multidimensional nutrition education will be provided.

Nutrition Education

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 6 Months - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Households involved with Heifer Project International activities. Mothers participate in women's self-help group. Household has at least 1 child 6-60 months at baseline. Household is will to participate.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Tufts University: lead
• Heifer Project International: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Heifer Project International Nepal

Kathmandu, Nepal, Nepal

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Malnutrition

Interventions

Nutrition Assessment

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Nutrition Disorders; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Data Collection; Epidemiologic Methods; Investigative Techniques; Health Care Evaluation Mechanisms; Quality of Health Care; Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation; Epidemiologic Measurements; Public Health; Environment and Public Health

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor of Pediatrics

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 21, 2022
• First Posted: September 1, 2022
• Study Start: June 8, 2024
• Primary Completion: August 10, 2025
• Study Completion: August 10, 2025
• Last Updated: February 6, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Locations

NE (1)