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Nutritional Status and Hygiene Practice Among Ethnic Communities in Selected Area of Bangladesh

Md Monoarul Haque
Dept. of Community Nutrition, Bangladesh University of Health Sciences (BUHS)

Bilkis Banu
Dept. of Health Promotion & Health Education, Bangladesh University of Health Sciences (BUHS)

Khaleda Islam
Institute of Nutrition & Food Science (INFS), University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000.

ASM Mazharul Islam
Bangladesh Institute of Health Sciences (BIHS)

Mohammad Abu Naser5
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka-1000.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Malnutrition is a common problem in Bangladesh. Nutritional status is a sensitive indicator of community health. The study was done to assess the nutritional status and hygiene practice among ethnic communities in Bangladesh. It was a Cross sectional study. This study was conducted at sadar upazilla of Bandarban district in Chittagong division. Nutritional status was measured anthropometrically using body mass index according WHO classification and socioeconomic information, hygiene practice were presented as descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, frequency, percentage). Anthropometric data such as height and weight of the study subjects were collected by standard techniques to calculate body mass index. Statistical analyses were performed by appropriate univariate and multivariate techniques using SPSS windows 11.5 version. A total of 227 study subjects aged (Mean±SD) 35± 15 years were studied. Among the study subjects majority of the tribal population were Marma (52%) and rest of were Bawm (21%), Murong (18%), Tripura (3%), Khyang (3%), Tanchyanga (2%) and Chak (1%). Among the study subjects, most of the respondents (62%) were found normal in their nutritional status, 18% found underweight, 14% were overweight and only 6% were obese. Forty one percent of respondents were used to washing their hand with soap before taking meal but rest of the respondents (59%) were found to wash their hand only with water before taking their meal and 59% of the respondents washed their hand with soap after toilet. All the study subjects were found to wash their hand before preparing food and to wash their utensil. A smaller number of respondents (34%) were found to practice reheating their foods before serving. As outcome of better nutritional and hygiene status, majority (89%) of respondents were found to have no disease during the last two weeks of interview. Though nutritional status and hygiene practice among tribal population in selected area of Bangladesh are apparently satisfactory, as revealed in present study still there remain some lacking in this segment. Therefore, a more effective and targeted health and nutrition education program focusing nutrition and hygiene among tribal population deserves to be suggested for implementation.

Keywords: Nutritional status, Hygiene practice, Ethnic community.

Location: Sadar upazilla of Bandarban district in Chittagong division, Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Quality and Nutrition

Non-commodity: Performance

Objectives:

The study was undertaken for the assessment of nutritional status as well as hygiene practice among ethnic communities.

Methodology:

A cross sectional study was conducted among 227 tribal people of Bandarban sadar upazilla in Bangladesh. This hilly and riverine area was selected purposively for data collection and to get adequate sample of study population because ethnic communities with their different socio-economic status usually stay there in one area. The study subjects included all adult people who were willing to participate and provide required information. Physical and mental retarded people and very sick were not included in the study. A pre-tested and semi-structured questionnaire was used to solicit information on socio-demographic characteristics, nutritional status, hygiene practice and disease frequency of tribal people. Nutritional status was determined by body mass index (BMD) recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) for Asian people. For anthropometric measurements, height was measured with a standiometer and body weight was measured by standard procedure. Three measurements were recorded and the mean measurement was taken to the nearest 0.1 cm. Weight was recorded to the nearest 0.1 kg. For assessment of hygiene practice, hand washing practice and food preservation practice among study subjects were observed. Before data collection, permission, was taken from the HeadmanlKarbari for each ethnic community. All the tribal people were informed about the study and different local language interpreter from different ethnic communities were engaged to translate questionnaire. After collection, data were checked thoroughly for consistency and completeness. Data were checked after collection of data to exclude any error or inconsistency. All analysis was done by appropriate statistical methods using Statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software for Windows version 11.5. Descriptive statistics (Mean±SD, frequency, percentage) were used to show results. The socio-economic classification in this study was made according to 2006 Gross National Income (GNI) per capita and using the calculation of World Bank (WB). The groups were- low-income $75.41 or less (BDT $ 5360), lower middle-income $75.5 - $299.58 (BDT 5361-21270), upper middle-income $299.68 - $926.25 (BDT 21271-65761) and high-income $926.33 or more (BDT 2: 65762).

Source of Information: Bangladesh j. Nutr. Vol. 26, December 2013-14

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Among Murong ethnic community majority (71%) of study subjects were found to have normal nutritional status, but 25% and 5% were found to have underweight and overweight respectively. Similarly, among Bawm ethnic community, most of the study subjects (77%) were identified with normal nutritional status but 15%, 4% and 4% were found to be overweight, obese and underweight respectively. Although the least study subjects were included from Tripura, Tanchyanga, Khyang and Chak ethnic community, yet the distribution of Tripura subjects showed equal trend in terms of underweight, normal, overweight and for the Tanclyanga ethnic community, distribution of study subjects were also found equal in terms of normal and obese.

Knowledge Management: Journal