Adolescence is a critical period when rapid physical growth increases the body’s nutrient demands. However, unhealthy dietary habits formed during this time may lead to long-term nutrition-related problems that can affect an individual’s overall health. Soham Shaw and Tanmay Pandey from Christukula Mission Hr. Sec. School conducted research on the ill health of students and adolescents and found that the primary cause was related to an unhealthy diet among the target group.
Their research revealed that over 80% of adolescents suffer from ‘hidden hunger,’ which refers to the deficiency of one or more micronutrients such as iron, folate, zinc, etc. Additionally, more than 50% of teenagers in the age group of 10 to 19 years in India are either short, thin, overweight, or obese. Shockingly, 66% of premature deaths and around 30% of all diseases in adults are associated with behaviors and habits that people follow during their youth.
To tackle this issue, the Dynamic Developers team, consisting of Shaw and Pandey, created a pilot case study at their school with over 3200 students from Class 1 to 12. They analyzed attendance data and found that more than 200 students, on average, were unable to attend school due to ill health. This alarming data led the team to develop an innovation that would improve the mental and physical well-being of students, which they named Diet-O-Bot.
Diet-O-Bot is a machine that creates individual records of the health and nutritional requirements of school students. It analyzes the student’s health record, based on the data provided by the individual, and proposes the perfect diet recommended for the individual’s body type, along with other valuable suggestions to help create better health conditions. The machine analyzes various parameters such as height, weight, age, gender, whether the person is a vegetarian or non-vegetarian, past diseases, basic diet, family history, and physical routine. Based on the input provided, the Diet-O-Bot reveals the actual status of the individual by indicating their body mass index, including ideal weight and height, recommended calorific values, and nutrients the person needs to include in their daily diet.
The Diet-O-Bot also gives special advice to adolescent girls to follow during the menstruation cycle, along with methods to tackle diseases and tips on physical activities. The aim of Diet-O-Bot is to improve the health of teenagers and youth, which will create a healthy community of students who can attend school regularly and improve their health and wealth. The team is now working on developing an Android app that would make the Diet-O-Bot accessible to every user through their smartphones. They are also considering the aspects that need to be addressed to convert their idea into a profitable business venture.
TEAM NAME
DYNAMIC DEVELOPERS
TEAM MEMBERS
Soham Shaw and Tanmay Pandey
ATL IN-CHARGE
Jithin Lawrence
Christukula Mission Hr. Sec. School
Satna, Madhya Pradesh
