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Energy Needs and Nutritional Status of Adolescent Girls

Study Protocol for Measuring Energy Needs and Nutritional Status of Adolescent Girls in Abia State, Nigeria: The Nutrition and Adolescence in Rural Nigeria (NARN'ia) Study

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Observational
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06601959
Acronym
NARNia
Enrollment
60
Registered
2024-09-19
Start date
2023-06-27
Completion date
2025-12-15
Last updated
2026-01-30

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

Conditions

Energy Requirement, Nutrition

Keywords

Nutrition, Energy requirements, female adolescents

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate the energy needs and nutritional status of adolescent girls in Abia State, Nigeria

Detailed description

Adolescents in low and middle-income countries encounter numerous nutritional challenges, including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, poor dietary habits, and food insecurity. These issues significantly impact their growth, development, and long-term health. Despite their increased vulnerability, this demographic is often overlooked in nutritional program planning and implementation. This neglect is due to a lack of accurate data, inadequate delivery platforms for interventions, and underdeveloped policies and programs. The Nutrition and Adolescence in Rural Nigeria (NARN'ia) study aims to address this gap through a comprehensive assessment of energy requirements in adolescent girls (N=50; ages 10 - 19 years) in Nigeria. NARN'ia will integrate dietary assessments using the 24-hour recall method (INDDEX24 app); physical activity levels using accelerometry; anthropometric evaluations of body composition, and the doubly labeled water method for assessing both body composition and total daily energy expenditure. This study will provide evidence-based data essential for formulating appropriate nutritional guidelines for adolescent girls in Nigeria. Furthermore, this research initiative will establish a foundational framework for future studies on energy requirements in Nigeria and other low and middle-income countries.

Interventions

None listed

Sponsors

Duke University
Lead SponsorOTHER
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
CollaboratorOTHER

Study design

Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
10 Years to 19 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* female students * 10 and 19 years old * provides verbal assent and has parental consent

Exclusion criteria

* physical disabilities * illnesses during the study period * students attending boarding schools

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Body composition - skinfold thickness (suprailiac)10 days from enrollmentBody composition will be assessed by recording suprailiac skinfold thickness of the participants using skinfold calipers in mm.
Body composition - waist circumference10 days from enrollmentBody composition will be assessed by recording the waist circumference of the participants using a tape measure in cm.
Body composition - hip circumference10 days from enrollmentBody composition will be assessed by recording the hip circumference of the participants using a tape measure in cm.
Body composition - skinfold thickness (biceps)10 days from enrollmentBody composition will be assessed by recording biceps skinfold thickness of the participants using skinfold calipers in mm.
Body composition - skinfold thickness (triceps)10 days from enrollmentBody composition will be assessed by recording triceps skinfold thickness of the participants using skinfold calipers in mm.
Body composition - skinfold thickness (subscapular)10 days from enrollmentBody composition will be assessed by recording subscapular skinfold thickness of the participants using skinfold calipers in mm.
Total Energy Expenditure measured with Doubly Labeled Water (DLW)10 days from enrollmentThe rate of elimination of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes from the DLW through urine will be used to estimate TEE in kilocalories per day (kcal/day).
Physical Activity Levels using a wrist-worn accelerometer10 days from enrollmentPhysical activity levels will be categorized under light, moderate, and vigorous and will be expressed as accelerations over each day. Light Physical Activity: Acceleration: 0.05 g to 0.1 g Moderate Physical Activity:Acceleration: 0.1 g to 0.3 g Vigorous Physical Activity:Acceleration: ≥ 0.3 g This will be reported as the number of participants at each physical activity level.
Dietary Intake using the INDDEX24 app - total energy (kcal/day) content10 days from enrollmentThe INDDEX24 dietary recall app will be used to capture detailed information on all foods and beverages consumed during the recall period. Nutritional intake will be analyzed for total energy (kcal/day).
Dietary Intake using the INDDEX24 app - macronutrient content10 days from enrollmentThe INDDEX24 app will be used to assess the macronutrient consumed by each individual per day over the course of the enrollment period.
Dietary Intake using the INDDEX24 app - micronutrient content10 days from enrollmentThe INDDEX24 app will be used to access the micronutrient content of the diets of the participants for the duration of enrollment.
Body composition - BMI10 days from enrollmentBody composition will be assessed by recording the heights and weights of the participants with a tape measure and body scale respectively to calculate their body mass indices (BMI) in kg/m\^2

Countries

Nigeria, United States

Contacts

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORHerman Pontzer

Duke University Evolutionary Anthropology

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026