Identification of dietary patterns and nutritional status of young adults in northern area of Bangladesh (Durgapur, Netrokona)

Background: limited dietary diversity is a major challenge and the cause of malnutrition in rural and urban poor households b in Bangladesh. Most families depend on carbohydrate-rich staple food crops and eat few animal products, fruits, or fruits and veggies, having contributed to an increment in the amount of individual’s malnutrition.Methods: This study was a cross-sectional, conducted on ۳۵۸ participants. Data were collected using pretested, structured self-administered questionnaires and anthropometric measurements were obtained. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical package and level of significance was set at p < ۰.۰۵Results: Among the total population are ۷۹.۹% Bengali and ۲۰.۹% were ethnic. ۵۷.۰% & ۴۳.۰% were female and male respectively. ۵۳.۶% belong from ۱۸-۲۵ age group. Most of the participants were Housewife (۳۸.۰%). Around ۳۹.۴% respondents complete the secondary education whereas only ۱۴.۸% had no education. Most of the participants belong from medium and high-income group ۳۶.۶% & ۶۲.۳% respectively. Among the study participants ۱۰% were Underweight, ۳۳.۰% belong from normal nutritional status, Overweight ۱۹.۸%, Obese ۳۷.۲%. Around ۶۸.۷% participants have high diversity score and ۱۹% have medium diversified food while only ۱۲% have less diversified food. In-spite of high diversity score most of the people don’t consume fats and oils and vitamin A rich foods. A significant relationship was found with nutritional status and age, gender, occupation, monthly income as p value was <۰.۰۵.Conclusion: The female participants were suffering from malnutrition than their counterparts. The prevalence of underweight among female was ۶ times higher than male.

Keywords:

Dietary diversity score , Bangladesh , Malnutrition , Netrokona , BIRTAN