Paving the way for improved action: how nuclear techniques can advance the assessment of malnutrition

Abstract

Malnutrition in all its forms—including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and overnutrition—continues to rise globally, driven by complex structural and biological factors that contribute to an increased risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Addressing this multifaceted challenge requires precise assessment tools. To advance this effort, the International Atomic Energy Agency held a technical meeting of global experts to explore how nuclear techniques, specifically stable isotope tracers and imaging methods, and emerging technologies can enhance nutrition assessments to better address malnutrition. On the basis of the meeting's discussions, this report highlights the application of nuclear techniques to improve the measurement of body composition across life stages and disease states, assess nutrient bioavailability more holistically, elucidate nutrient flux under conditions of malnutrition, trace metabolic processes linked to NCDs, and refine nutrient requirements to better reflect diverse populations. The integration of nuclear techniques with emerging tools such as artificial intelligence and model-based compartmental analysis was emphasized as a key strategy to enhance their utility. This report also highlights the important role of nuclear techniques in addressing malnutrition and calls for interdisciplinary collaboration and reduced research silos to fully leverage these techniques to combat this condition more effectively.

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