Peer-reviewed article
Dietary habits and nutritional status of adolescent girls in environmentally vulnerable coastal areas of Bangladesh.
Md Ripon Ali Sarkar, Dilruba Easmin Jharna, Md Golam Rabbani Akanda, Md Fazlul Hoque, Sultana Rabeya ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined the dietary habits and nutritional status of 640 adolescent girls aged 11–19 years living in four coastal districts of Bangladesh. The findings show that while most girls were of normal weight, significant proportions experienced stunting (13.9%), thinness (8.8%), and severe thinness (5.8%). Over half the girls lacked awareness of micronutrients and were indifferent toward their daily diet, and inadequate menstrual hygiene management facilities meant that 58.8% of school-going girls missed classes during menstruation. The study identifies family income, food intake, dietary knowledge, and hygiene practices as key factors associated with nutritional status.
Key points
- 72.3% of adolescent girls had normal weight-for-age, while 13.9% were stunted (low height-for-age)
- Over half (51.8%) of girls lacked awareness of essential micronutrients, and 48.6% showed indifference toward their daily diet
- Inadequate menstrual hygiene management facilities affected 51.7% of respondents, and 58.8% of school-going girls missed school during menstruation
- Nutritional status was significantly associated with family income, food intake, dietary knowledge, and hygiene practices
- The study calls for nutrition education, improved menstrual hygiene infrastructure, and socioeconomic interventions in coastal areas
Limitations
This is a descriptive cross-sectional study with no comparison group or intervention evaluation, so it cannot determine causality or test the effectiveness of solutions. The data rely on 24-hour dietary recall and self-reported practices, which may be subject to recall bias and social desirability bias.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate dietary practices, nutritional status and micronutrient intakes of adolescent girls residing in coastal areas of Bangladesh. DESIGN: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study design. Data were collected through household interviews using a structured questionnaire that included socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge and beliefs, 24-hour dietary recall, dietary history, anthropometric measurements, and Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) practices. SETTING: The study was carried out in four coastal districts (Patuakhali, Bagerhat, Noakhali, and Cox’s Bazar) of Bangladesh. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 640 adolescent girls aged 11–19 years were surveyed by trained female interviewers. RESULTS: The results indicated that normal weight (Body mass index (BMI)-for-age ≥ − 2 SD to ≤ + 1 SD), obesity ((BMI-for-age > + 2 SD), overweight (BMI-for-age > + 1 SD), severe thinness (BMI-for-age < − 3 SD) and thinness (BMI-for-age < − 2 SD) respectively 72.3%, 2.2%,10.9%, 5.8%, and 8.8%. Analysis of height-for-age revealed that 86.1% were within the normal (Height-for-Age Z-score ≥ -2 SD) range and 13.9% were of stunted (Height-for-Age Z-score < -2 SD) growth. Nutritional status was significantly associated with family income, food intake, dietary knowledge, and hygiene practices. Over half (51.8%) lacked awareness of essential micronutrients, and 48.6% demonstrated indifference toward daily diet. Inadequate MHM facilities affected 51.7% of respondents, and 58.8% of school-going girls missed classes during menstruation. CONCLUSION: The findings underscore the urgent need for adolescent-centered nutrition education, improved MHM infrastructure, and targeted socioeconomic interventions to enhance dietary behavior and nutritional well-being among coastal girls in Bangladesh.