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Assessment of Nutritional Knowledge in a Rural Area of Bangladesh

A.M.M. Mokarram Hossain
Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh

A Hafez
National Institute of Preventive & Social Medicine, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The study interviewed 75 women, mostly the wives (79%) of the heads of the households of a village, near Dhaka. The study women were selected on simple random sampling technique. Almost the half (41%) were in the age of 15 to 29 years. Among the study women. knowledge levels were reported on energy giving foods, body building and preparing foods, protective foods, types of foods that are to be served after delivery and balanced diet as 9.3%. 84%. 5.3%. 82.7% and 22.7% respectively. No major discrimination was found in the level of knowledge among literate and illiterate groups. But as the respondents age went higher, evidence of knowledge diminished. The overall nutritional knowledge when averaged was good.

Keywords: Assessment, Nutritional knowledge, Rural area, Bangladesh

Location: A village named chandpur about 30 km north-west of Dhaka city

Start Date: 00-04-1989

End Date: 00-05-1989

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Non-commodity: Performance

Objectives:

This study was designed to determine how well food and nutritional knowledge is prevailing in a rural area of Bangladesh with the hope of filling some of the gaps in their knowledge in future.

Methodology:

The study was carried out in a village named chandpur about 30 km north-west of Dhaka city. The area of the village was approximately 2 square km with a total population of about 920, living in 164 households. Agriculture was the main occupation of the people. Most of the houses were straw roofed with earthen walls. Tube-wells were the source of drinking water. Most of the latrines were pit type. There was only one Govt. free primary school or health center in the village. The village was located in an extremely low lying area and looks like an island during the rainy session, when it is reached from the main road (Dhaka-Aricha Road) only by boat. The study place was a rural village within the proximity of Dhaka city and was easily approachable. The people were also co-operative. These considerations had gone in favour of selecting the study area. The village was selected purposively. Out of 164 households, 75 were selected using simple random sampling technique. They were wives, and mothers in relation to the head of the households. An interview schedule was prepared considering all the variables. In this study, knowledge levels were referred to what the study population knew about different types of foods, balanced diets, food requirements among different age, sex and need groups and foods to be used after delivery. The schedule was pretested among the village women. The instrument was finalized on the basis of the results of the pre-test. Levels of nutritional knowledge were judged on 2 scales e.g. yes/present or no/absent. Yes/present means at least one or all relevant answers marked correctly. No/absent means, no reply or wrong scoring. Collected data were edited- to correct errors and analyzed by using percentage only. According to Census 1981, a person has been treated in line with international usage as literate if he/she can write a letter in any language. In our study, literacy level referred to Class I to degree class and illiterate means who cannot read and write in any form. The study was conducted from April to May, 1989.

Source of Information: Bangladesh j Nutr. Vol. 4, No.2, June 1991

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

No major discrimination was found in the level of knowledge among literate and illiterate groups. But as the respondents age went higher, evidence of knowledge diminished. The overall nutritional knowledge when averaged was good.

Knowledge Management: Journal