MyKid’sNutrition mobile application trial: a randomized controlled trial to promote mothers’ nutritional knowledge and nutritional status of preschool children with undernutrition—a study protocol

• Published in: Current controlled trials in cardiovascular medicine 2023-08, Vol.24 (1), p.544-544, Article 544
• Main Authors: Hojati, Ali, Alesaeidi, Sogol, Izadi, Saeideh, Nikniaz, Alireza, Farhangi, Mahdieh Abbasalizad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Body mass index; Children & youth; Clinical trials; Consent; Developing countries; Feeding practices; Health care; Health education; Health facilities; Health literacy; Health services; Intervention; Knowledge; LDCs; Malnutrition; Maternal nutrition knowledge; Mobile application; Mobile applications; Nutrition; Nutritional status; Nutritionists; Participation; Patients; Pediatrics; Preschool children; Preschool education; Randomized controlled trial; Smartphones; Study Protocol; Technology application; Testing; Undernutrition
• ISSN: 1745-6215; 1745-6215
• DOI: 10.1186/s13063-023-07503-w

Background Childhood malnutrition is a crucial public health issue in developing countries. Mothers' nutritional knowledge significantly affects children's nutritional status. It also appears that mothers with low health literacy are unable to adequately meet their children's nutritional needs because they do not clearly understand their children's nutrition and malnutrition status. Methods This randomized controlled trial aims to describe the development and study protocol of the MyKid'sNutrition application, a smartphone-based intervention for mothers of preschool (2-6 years old) children. The application contains several contents on children's healthy eating, childhood underweight, children's loss of appetite, and child growth assessment. As part of the MyKid'sNutrition trial, a total of 116 participants will be randomized 1:1 either to (a) treatment as usual and MyKid'sNutrition or (b) treatment as usual alone. The results of this trial will be based on changes in growth indicators and mothers' nutritional knowledge, attitude, and practice within the groups and the differences between them. Discussion Due to their widespread availability throughout society, smartphones can be used to deliver educational content on a large scale at a low cost. In addition, they can provide novel ways for patients to receive support. Hence, it is essential to conduct research studies on these types of interventions. MyKid'sNutrition application offers dietary solutions for such nutritional problems as underweight, loss of appetite, and malnutrition in children. Meanwhile, it provides detailed instructions on how to interact with the child. Trial registration IRCT.ir IRCT20140907019082N11. Registered on February 19, 2022. Keywords: Preschool children, Undernutrition, Mobile application, Feeding practices, Maternal nutrition knowledge, Randomized controlled trial, mHealth