Dietary Intake, Health and Micronutrient Status in Haiti

Women of reproductive age and young children are especially vulnerable to micronutrient deficiencies which may lead to life-long disabilities. In Haiti, deficiencies in micronutrients such as iron, zinc, and vitamin A, are likely prevalent, but recent national estimates of the burden are not available. The most recent Demographic and Health Survey reported that 49% of women of reproductive age and 66% of preschool children were anemic. In addition, the Haitian population also has a high prevalence of overweight and obesity, with 38.5% classified as either overweight or obese. Fortification of staple foods with micronutrients is considered a cost-effective intervention to reduce the burden of micronutrient deficiencies. Through the Copenhagen Consensus Haiti Priorise exercise, fortification of flour with iron and folic acid was identified as the Number 2 development priority for Haiti. Prior to implementing a large-scale fortification program, however, the World Health Organization recommends the collection of detailed baseline information on nutritional status and dietary intake in the target population. In addition, information on certain biochemical indicators of nutritional status is needed to confirm the need for program implementation and to establish a baseline for later program evaluation and modification. Data on dietary patterns and nutrient intake are needed to 1) adapt nutrition intervention programs to match dietary nutrient gaps, and 2) design and manage complementary programs to address nutritional deficiencies in at-risk population subgroups that may not be reached or effectively covered by large-scale fortification programs.

The general objective of this project is to collect information on dietary intake and nutritional status of women and young children in Haiti, to inform the design and management of national and subnational micronutrient intervention programs, with a focus on large-scale food fortification, and to serve as a reference point for later program evaluation.

The specific objectives of the project are:

1. To describe the prevalence, at national and subnational levels, of anemia and selected micronutrient deficiencies among women and young children in Haiti (in addition to health indicators such as systemic inflammation, malaria infection, and anthropometric indices), to serve as a reference point for management and evaluation of a large-scale food fortification program, and other nutrition-related programs.

2. To measure dietary intake of micronutrients and potentially fortifiable foods, using 24-hour dietary recalls and the Fortification Assessment Coverage Toolkit (FACT), to confirm appropriate food vehicles for fortification, and to determine the specific micronutrients and fortification levels to be included in the program.

3. To measure micronutrient content in wheat flour samples collected from households, markets and/or bakeries to assess the current reach and fortification levels of fortified wheat flour.

4. To collect information on access to and use of public and private health care services and government programs (including food aid), to identify platforms, and their associated costs, for delivering nutrition programs to individuals not reached by large-scale food fortification.

5. To assess biological and behavioral risk factors for noncommunicable diseases, including blood glucose and lipid levels, to identify associations with health and nutritional status among women.

6. To measure micronutrient concentrations in human milk to assess micronutrient status of mothers and micronutrient intake of breastfeeding children.

7. To collect images to assist in the development of a novel digital anthropometric assessment method (technology for measurement of body size using photos).

The study will be designed as a stratified cluster survey with three ecological strata. Enumeration areas (clusters) and households within each cluster will be selected such that the sample is representative at the stratum level and national level.