Non-Invasive Assessment of Skin Carotenoid Biomarkers in Children Using the Veggie Meter®: Implications for Public Health Nutrition

Veggie Meter® for Paediatric Nutrition Assessment

Abstract

Adequate fruit and vegetable intake is essential for optimal growth, development, and overall health in children; however, conventional dietary assessment methods are often limited by recall and reporting bias. This review evaluated the utility of the Veggie Meter® as a non-invasive tool for assessing skin carotenoid biomarkers among paediatric populations. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using multiple electronic databases and relevant nutrition and public health journals. The findings indicate that skin carotenoids are reliable objective biomarkers of fruit and vegetable intake, and the Veggie Meter® provides a rapid, practical, and reproducible assessment approach for paediatric and public health nutrition research.