How Precision Diets, Through Gut Bacteria, Affect Anemia in Nepalese Adolescent

This study aims to evaluate whether a food-based nutrition intervention using goat liver can improve anemia among adolescent girls in Kathmandu, Nepal, and compare its effectiveness with the current standard iron and folic acid supplementation. It will also investigate how diet and the gut microbiota (the community of beneficial microorganisms living in the intestine) may influence iron absorption and response to treatment. Anemia is a major public health problem among adolescent girls in Nepal. During adolescence, rapid growth and the onset of menstruation increase the body's need for iron and other nutrients involved in blood formation. If left untreated, anemia can impair physical growth, reduce learning ability and concentration, decrease work capacity, weaken immunity, and negatively affect future reproductive health. Although weekly iron-folic acid supplementation programs are widely implemented, anemia remains common, suggesting that additional strategies may be needed. Recent research indicates that gut microbiota may affect iron metabolism by influencing nutrient absorption, inflammation, and overall intestinal health. Dietary habits can alter the composition of gut bacteria, which may partly explain why individuals respond differently to iron interventions. However, little is known about these relationships among Nepalese adolescents. This study seeks to fill that knowledge gap and explore whether a locally available food-based intervention can provide a practical and sustainable alternative or complement to conventional supplementation. The research will be conducted among adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 years enrolled in selected schools in Kathmandu. The study has two phases. In the first phase, you will undergo screening to determine the prevalence and types of anemia. Blood samples will be collected to measure hemoglobin, iron status, vitamin B12, folate, and inflammation-related biomarkers. Stool samples will be collected to analyze gut microbiota