Food consumption, energy and nutrient intake and nutritional status in rural Bangladesh: changes from 1981-1982 to 1995-96.
OBJECTIVE
To determine and evaluate changes in nutritional status, food consumption, energy and nutrient intake in rural Bangladesh, using appropriate statistical analyses.


METHODS
Repeated cross-sectional surveys. Two seasons in 1981-1982 and 1995-1996.


METHODS
Two villages with different production patterns.


METHODS
Anthropometric measurements of 1883 individuals, food consumption data of 404 households.


METHODS
Repeated measurements of one-day food weighing and anthropometry in two seasons in 1981-1982 and 1995-1996. Mixed model analyses were used to evaluate and quantify temporal changes and their interactions with determinants.


RESULTS
Prevalence of underweight children decreased from 82 to 70% (P=0.015), wasted children from 34% to 18% (P=0.009) and chronic energy deficient adults decreased from 78 to 64% (P<0.0001). Intake of fish and green leafy vegetables increased from (l.s. mean+/-s.e.) 23+/-3.0 to 40+/-1.8 g/person/day (P<0.001) and from 28+/-4.5 to 41+/-2.7 g/person/day (P=0.019), respectively. Rice intake remained unchanged: 463+/-12 g raw/person/day in 1981-1982 and 450+/-7.3 g raw/person/day in 1995-1996 (P=0.355). Calcium and iron intakes increased by 40% (P<0.0001) and 16% (P=0.0002), respectively, whereas vitamin A intake remained unchanged.


CONCLUSIONS
Nutritional status improved and intakes of nutrient dense food groups, fat, iron and calcium increased from 1981-1982 to 1995-1996.
Hels
O
O
Research Department of Human Nutrition, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg, Denmark. ohe@kvl.dk
Hassan
N
N
Tetens
I
I
Haraksingh Thilsted
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001459:Bangladesh; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004435:Eating; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D008875:Middle Aged; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012275:Oryza; D011247:Pregnancy; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology; D012424:Rural Population; D013851:Thinness / Q000453:epidemiology; D014675:Vegetables
D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D019266:Iron, Dietary