Impacts of Consumption Tracking and Tailored Feedback on Meeting Nutritional Recommendations: A Longitudinal Regression Discontinuity Study

This peer-reviewed study evaluates the impact of digital consumption tracking and personalized feedback on diet quality in rural Kenya. Through the “Mbiotisho” smartphone app, caregivers logged dietary intake for themselves and their children and received visual and audio feedback aligned with WHO dietary guidelines. Using regression discontinuity and difference-in-difference methods, the study found a 23 percentage point increase in the likelihood that children met minimum dietary diversity, with smaller gains for caregivers. Effects were consistent across self-reported and health volunteer–recorded data. The research supports low-cost, scalable technology as a promising tool for improving nutrition behaviors in low-resource settings.