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Fish Is the Preferred Animal-source Food in the Rural Community of Southern Bangladesh

Rumana Akter
Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Room 533, Agriculture Building 7-B,1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan

Nobuyuki Yagi*
Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Room 533, Agriculture Building 7-B,1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan

Hiroe Ishihara
Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Room 533, Agriculture Building 7-B,1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan

Nazia Hossain
Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh

Shakuntala H. Thilsted
WorldFish, Jalan Batu Maung, Batu Maung, 11960 Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Increased intake of animal-source foods (ASFs) is crucial to tackle multiple nutritional challenges in Bangladesh and contribute to achieving targets under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Qualitative and quantitative data were collected to assess current ASFs intake behaviors and preferred ASFs, among three types of households, namely 1. aquaculture intervention (AI); 2. aquaculture non-intervention (ANI); and 3. non-aquaculture non-intervention (NANI) households and children aged 6–59 months, to understand whether intake of ASFs varies by the types of households. Purposive sampling was conducted to obtain a total of 100 households (AI, 50; ANI, 25; NANI, 25). Fish was the most commonly consumed (52.2–61.5%) and preferred (73.9–84.6%) ASF by the majority households, across study groups; although the amount (mean±SD) of intake (g/d/person) by NANI households was statistically significantly lower (NANI, 105.5±53.3;p<0.001), compared to other two groups (AI, 163.6±64.7 and ANI, 159.6±53). Fish species selection for household consumption was led by taste, health benefits, availability, and price. Pangasius was the first fish species of choice fed to children, due to having fewer small bones compared to other commonly consumed fish species. Dietary interventions to prioritize fish, in targeting increased intake of ASFs among the study population, for improved food and nutrition security.

Keywords: ASF; Dietary intervention; Preferred food; Fish; Drivers of food choice; Malnutrition

Location: Barisal, a rural district in southern Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-02-2018

End Date:

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Commodity: Fish

Objectives:

This study aims to explore current behaviors of intake of ASFs, in three different groups of households and in children(aged 6–59 months), in a rural district of southern Bangladesh.

Methodology:

Qualitative and quantitative data were collected, using a semi-structured questionnaire in February 2018, in Barisal, a rural district in southern Bangladesh. Barisal district was selected to be able to include households, which had participated in a large-scale United States Agency for international development (USAID)—funded project for five years. Using a purposive sampling method, three groups of households were selected, namely 1) aquaculture intervention (AI); 2) aquaculture non-intervention(ANI); and 3) non-aquaculture non-intervention (NANI) households, having at least one child, aged6–59 months. A total of 100 households were selected for conducting the survey. This sample size was based on the resources available for this survey. Half of the households (AI,n=50) had participated in the USAID-funded AI project, conducting pond aquaculture either in their own ponds or leased ponds, with technical support on fish culture (mainly tilapia, mola carpet; carp species, and pangasius were also cultured) from the project; called intervention households. In addition, AI households also received nutrition education on the importance of eating and feeding diverse diets including fish to the children. The other half of the non-intervention households (ANI,n=25; and NANI,n=25), were not engaged in any kind of aquaculture projects, although ANI households were conducting pond aquaculture out of their own interest, and the NANI households were not involved in any kind of aquaculture activities. As fish is the most commonly consumed ASF reported by various studies in Bangladesh, these three different groups of households were selected purposively, to investigate if intake of fish and other ASFs vary by the type of households. For better comparison amongst the three study groups, all households selected had a similar socio-demography (housing condition (observational), current main occupation of the household head and educational level of the father and mother of the child). Consistent with the revised Helsinki Declaration in 1983, informed consent was obtained orally from all study participants, before interviews were conducted. Furthermore, the study was approved by the Ethics Review Committee of the University of Tokyo. 2.2. Data Entry and AnalysisData were entered in Microsoft Excel and analyzed using the statistical software (Stata 15.1). Descriptive results are presented as mean (±SD) and percentage (%). As the sample size in each non-intervention group (ANI=25 and NANI=25) was half of that of the USAID-project intervention group (AI=50), Fisher’s exact test was performed to see whether there were any statistically significant differences, in terms of the prevalence of the most commonly consumed ASF among study groups. The estimated amount of daily fish intake by the household, was divided by the number of household members, to obtain the amount of daily per capita fish intake, as suggested by FAO. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed, to see whether the quantity of daily per capita fish intake differed among three study groups. Tukey’s post hoc test was conducted to confirm where the fish intake amount differed between groups. A value less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Source of Information: Sustainability, 2019,11, 5764;

Article Link (Online Journal): doi:10.3390/su11205764

Funding Source:

1.

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Fish is the most commonly consumed and preferred ASF, across study groups. People were more likely to consume the fish species that were available from their own production. The selection of fish species for consumption was led by the taste, health benefits, or nutrition knowledge of household members, availability in the market, price, and age of the child. The daily per capita amount of fish intake was lower in households (NANI) that did not produce fish, compared to households (AI and ANI) that produced fish. In feeding fish to children (aged 6–59 months), fish species with fewer small bones were the species of choice. Therefore, this study suggests dietary interventions to consider the age of the child, when choosing specific micronutrient-rich food to promote, improved food and nutrition security. Considering the malnutrition situation in Bangladesh and the cultural acceptability and preferences of fish, this study recommends that dietary interventions prioritize fish in targeting increased intake of ASFs for improved nutrition. This effort will contribute to achieving targets under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), through reducing malnutrition, child mortality, and improving the school attainment of children.

Knowledge Management: Journal