Changes in nutritional status among children under five years of age after three months of nutrition counseling supported by VNSNutrition software at the National Institute of Nutrition in 2025

Abstract

A one-group quasi-experimental pre-post study without a control group was conducted among 224 children aged 0-59 months and their caregivers at the Pediatric Nutrition Counseling Department, National Institute of Nutrition, in 2025. Anthropometric measurements and nutritional status were assessed at baseline (T0); caregivers then received individualized nutrition counseling supported by VNSNutrition software. The assessments were repeated after 3 months (T1). The proportion of children with at least one form of undernutrition decreased from 49.1 to 40.2% (p<0.05). Wasting decreased from 17.4 to 12.9% and stunting from 31.2 to 24.1% (both p<0.05), whereas underweight declined from 32.6 to 25.9% (p>0.05). The prevalence of overweight/obesity decreased from 2.7 to 2.2% (p>0.05). Concurrent stunting and underweight decreased from 19.2 to 9.4%, while concurrent wasting, stunting, and underweight decreased from 7.6 to 4.0% (both p<0.05). After 3 months of nutrition counseling supported by VNSNutrition, the prevalence of undernutrition among clinic-attending children decreased. Because the study had no control group, the findings suggest improvement after counseling but cannot attribute all observed changes specifically to the software.