Can crèche provision, counselling and participatory women’s groups reduce undernutrition in children aged up to 3 years in eastern India?

Effects of participatory learning and action with women’s groups, counselling through home visits and crèches on undernutrition among children under three years in eastern India: a quasi-experimental study

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN89911047

Enrollment

9336

Registered

2019-01-30

Start date

2012-11-01

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2023-03-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Child undernutrition: wasting (primary outcome), stunting, underweight Nutritional, Metabolic, Endocrine

Interventions

1. Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) meetings and counselling through home visits The PLA intervention was a structured cycle of participatory women’s groups meetings facilitated

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. Children aged 0-36 months living in the study areas and their caregivers 2. Clusters are purposely selected geographic areas comprising 8-10 contiguous villages covering a population of 4000-5000.A total of 30 clusters were selected for the study, spread across five blocks (an administrative unit of around 100,000 population).

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: Did not meet inclusion criteria

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Wasting (weight-for-height) measured using infantometers (Seca 210 with 55-mm graduation) or stadiometers (Seca 213 with 1-mm graduation) and Equinox weighing scales with 100-g graduations for all children aged 0-36 months in baseline and endline surveys	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Anthropometry: 1. Underweight (weight-for-age) measured using Equinox weighing scales with 100-g graduations for all children aged 0-36 months in baseline and endline surveys 2. Stunting (height-for-age) measured using infantometers (Seca 210 with 55-mm graduation) and stadiometers (Seca 213 with 1-mm graduation) for length/height for all children aged 0-36 months in baseline and endline surveys Infant and toddler feeding practices: 3. Timely introduction of semi-solid and solid foods assessed through questionnaire with mothers for children aged 6-9 months at baseline and endline 4. Minimum dietary diversity (>=4 food groups) assessed through questionnaire with mothers for children aged 6-24 months at baseline and endline 5. Minimum meal frequency (breastfed children) assessed through questionnaire with mothers for children aged 6-9 months at baseline and endline 6. Minimum meal frequency assessed through questionnaire with mothers for breastfed children aged 9-24 months at baseline and endline 7. Minimum acceptable diet assessed through questionnaire with mothers for children aged 6-9 months at baseline and endline 8. Minimum acceptable diet assessed through questionnaire with mothers for children aged 9-24 months at baseline and endline 9. Consumption of iron-rich foods assessed through questionnaire with mothers for children aged 6-24 months at baseline and endline Water, sanitation and hygiene practices: 10. Access to improved water source assessed through questionnaire with mothers for children aged 0-36 months at baseline and endline 11. Water treatment, physical or chemical assessed through questionnaire with mothers for children aged 0-36 months at baseline and endline 12. Handwashing with soap after using toilet, before preparing food	—

Measure

Time frame

Anthropometry: 1. Underweight (weight-for-age) measured using Equinox weighing scales with 100-g graduations for all children aged 0-36 months in baseline and endline surveys 2. Stunting (height-for-age) measured using infantometers (Seca 210 with 55-mm graduation) and stadiometers (Seca 213 with 1-mm graduation) for length/height for all children aged 0-36 months in baseline and endline surveys Infant and toddler feeding practices: 3. Timely introduction of semi-solid and solid foods assessed through questionnaire with mothers for children aged 6-9 months at baseline and endline 4. Minimum dietary diversity (>=4 food groups) assessed through questionnaire with mothers for children aged 6-24 months at baseline and endline 5. Minimum meal frequency (breastfed children) assessed through questionnaire with mothers for children aged 6-9 months at baseline and endline 6. Minimum meal frequency assessed through questionnaire with mothers for breastfed children aged 9-24 months at baseline and endline 7. Minimum acceptable diet assessed through questionnaire with mothers for children aged 6-9 months at baseline and endline 8. Minimum acceptable diet assessed through questionnaire with mothers for children aged 9-24 months at baseline and endline 9. Consumption of iron-rich foods assessed through questionnaire with mothers for children aged 6-24 months at baseline and endline Water, sanitation and hygiene practices: 10. Access to improved water source assessed through questionnaire with mothers for children aged 0-36 months at baseline and endline 11. Water treatment, physical or chemical assessed through questionnaire with mothers for children aged 0-36 months at baseline and endline 12. Handwashing with soap after using toilet, before preparing food

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Countries

India

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026