Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Israt Jahan, Risad Sultana, Mousume Afroz, Mohammad Muhit, Nadia Badawi, Gulam Khandaker
Summary: The study provides preliminary data on the feeding characteristics, dietary intake, and nutritional status of children with cerebral palsy in rural Bangladesh. These findings are crucial for effective interventions, prevention, and management of malnutrition among children with cerebral palsy in Bangladesh and other low- and middle-income countries.
Article
Development Studies
Ashraful Alam, Indranil Dutta, M. Emranul Haque, Ricardo Nogales
Summary: The Rohingya crisis has had a significant impact on food prices in Bangladesh, leading to an overall increase. Although aid-supplied food products have mitigated the price increase to some extent, it has not been enough to reverse the trend.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
S. M. Tafsir Hasan, Daluwar Hossain, Faysal Ahmed, Md Alfazal Khan, Ferdousi Begum, Tahmeed Ahmed
Summary: This study examined the association of household food insecurity with nutritional status and mental health among early-gestation pregnant women in Bangladesh. Results showed that pregnant women from food-insecure households were shorter, lighter, and had lower mid-upper arm circumference compared to their food-secure counterparts, and also had higher odds of depression, anxiety, and stress. The findings suggest the importance of public health measures focusing on ensuring proper nutrition to mitigate the adverse effects of food insecurity on women's health during critical growth periods and pregnancy.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Ribka Amsalu, Jean Costello, Zainul Hasna, Endang Handzel
Summary: The study in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh found a neonatal mortality rate of 27.0 per 1000 live births and a stillbirth rate of 15.2 per 1000 total births, with most deaths occurring at home or in the community. There was a positive correlation between camp population size and number of health facilities, and camps closer to secondary health facilities had lower neonatal mortality rates.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Shah Mohammad Fahim, Subhasish Das, Md. Golam Rasul, Mahabub Uz Zaman, Md. Ashraful Alam, Sazia Afrin, Kazi Nazmus Saqeeb, Md. Mahmudul Hasan, A. F. M. Mahbubul Alam, Morseda Chowdhury, Tahmeed Ahmed
Summary: A cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess the nutritional status and dietary diversity of pregnant and nonpregnant Rohingya women in a relocation camp. The results showed that a significant portion of nonpregnant women were underweight or overweight/obese, while a considerable percentage of pregnant women were undernourished or overweight/obese. Low Women's Dietary Diversity Score was associated with thinness in nonpregnant women and low BMI in pregnant women.
FOOD SCIENCE & NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Romaza Khanum, Petra Schneider, Muhammad Salim Al Mahadi, Mohammad Mojibul Hoque Mozumder, Md. Mostafa Shamsuzzaman
Summary: This study assessed the nutritional status of fish and non-fish farming households in Mymensingh district, Bangladesh. It found that fish farm households had higher food consumption, calorie intake, and protein intake compared to non-fish farms. Fish farming was found to have a more positive impact on household income, family food intake, and nutritional status than any other type of farming.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Masanori Iwasaki, Keiko Motokawa, Yutaka Watanabe, Misato Hayakawa, Yurie Mikami, Maki Shirobe, Hiroki Inagaki, Ayako Edahiro, Yuki Ohara, Hirohiko Hirano, Shoji Shinkai, Shuichi Awata
Summary: The study found that cognitively impaired older adults living alone were more likely to have poorer nutrition compared to cognitively normal and cohabitating individuals. It emphasizes the importance of paying extra attention to the nutritional status of this group of community-dwelling older adults.
Article
Economics
Onur Altindag, Stephen D. O'Connell
Summary: We studied two year-long unconditional cash-based assistance programs for Syrian refugees in Lebanon and found that they improved consumption, child well-being, food security, and reduced livelihood coping. However, there were no lasting effects observed after six months following the end of either program, despite high transfer values.
JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gulshan Ara, David C. Little, Abdullah-Al Mamun, Baukje de Roos, Eleanor Grieve, Mansura Khanam, S. M. Tafsir Hasan, Santhia Ireen, Samira Dilruba Ali, Anika Bushra Boitchi, Marjoleine A. Dijkhuizen, Tahmeed Ahmed, Nanna Roos
Summary: The study found that inadequate intake of both macro and micronutrients is the primary cause of micronutrient deficiencies in adolescent girls. Vitamin (OH)D insufficiency was higher in freshwater areas during the wet season compared to the dry season. Additionally, girls in freshwater areas had a higher risk of vitamin (OH)D insufficiency compared to those in high saline areas. Iron deficiency was also more common in girls during the wet season. These findings highlight the need to address these micronutrient deficiencies among adolescent girls in coastal areas.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Development Studies
Mohammad Jakaria, Rejaul Karim Bakshi, M. Mehedi Hasan
Summary: This study investigates the impact of maternal employment on the nutritional status of children under 5 in Bangladesh, using data from the 2014 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey. The results show that maternal employment significantly decreases children's height-for-age Z-score, contradicting traditional beliefs. Effective policy interventions are recommended to improve child health and maternal employment.
REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Tapas Mazumder, Shannon Rutherford, Syed Moshfiqur Rahman, Mohammad Radwanur Talukder
Summary: This research aimed to examine the nutritional status of a young population in climate-vulnerable coastal Bangladesh to inform appropriate intervention strategies. The study found that a significant percentage of the population was underweight, especially among women. Education and employment were associated with overweight or obesity. Multisectoral program strategies are needed to address malnutrition in this young age group, especially in climate-vulnerable coastal areas.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Development Studies
Sikandra Kurdi
Summary: This study utilizes a cluster randomized control trial to provide rigorous evidence of the potential long-run nutritional benefits of cash transfers in humanitarian crisis settings. The Cash for Nutrition intervention in Yemen significantly increased child dietary diversity, especially for the poorest households. These results support the increased use of cash transfers and provide a benchmark for comparing with traditional strategies for supporting child nutrition in prolonged crisis situations.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Anum Saeedullah, Muhammad Shabir Khan, Simon C. Andrews, Khalid Iqbal, Zia Ul-Haq, Syed Abdul Qadir, Haris Khan, Ishawu Iddrisu, Muhammad Shahzad
Summary: Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees, many of whom are at high risk of malnutrition due to poor socioeconomic status. A study on adolescent Afghan refugees in a refugee camp in Peshawar, Pakistan found high prevalence of nutritional deficiencies and micronutrient deficiencies. Urgent action is needed to include adolescents in regular screening and intervention programs to address their double burden of malnutrition.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Telma Nogueira, Raquel J. Ferreira, Vitoria Dias da Silva, Mariana Linan Pinto, Carlos Damas, Joana Sousa
Summary: This study examined the nutritional composition of school lunches, finding that certain components did not meet reference values while others exceeded them. It emphasized the importance of addressing school canteens for healthier and sustainable food systems in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sreshtha Chowdhury, Simanta Roy, Mehedi Hasan, Asif Al Sadique, Tariful Islam, Mehedi Hasan, Md Yeasin Arafat, Md Atiqur Rahman Bhuiyan, A. M. Khairul Islam, Omar Khalid, Ramisha Maliha, Mohammad Ali Hossain, Mohammad Lutfor Rahman, Mohammad Hayatun Nabi, Mohammad Delwer Hossain Hawlader
Summary: This research aimed to assess the oral health status and knowledge and practice of Rohingya refugees living in Cox's Bazar. The study found that a significant number of participants lacked basic oral health knowledge and had poor oral health practices. Age and educational level were positively associated with oral health knowledge, and knowledge level was linked to oral health practice. Participants with a history of teeth pain were more likely to seek treatment.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Gargi Wable Grandner, Katherine Dickin, Ravi Kanbur, Purnima Menon, Kathleen M. Rasmussen, John Hoddinott
Summary: The study found that both pregnant and lactating women have insufficient dietary intakes, although there are statistically significant differences compared to nonpregnant, nonlactating women, the magnitudes of these differences were too small to reject equivalence. Additionally, statistical similarity was also evident in all micronutrients and dietary diversity for both two-group comparisons.
MATERNAL AND CHILD NUTRITION
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Emily Schmidt, Paul Dorosh, Rachel Gilbert
Summary: This article examines the impact of rising global rice prices on Papua New Guinea, highlighting the negative effects on local poor populations. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining domestic supply chains of staple goods to mitigate the impact of global rice price increases.
AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Marianne Santoso, Rachel N. Bezner Kerr, Neema Kassim, Haikael Martin, Elias Mtinda, Peter Njau, Kelvin Mtei, John Hoddinott, Sera L. Young
Summary: The study conducted a cluster-randomized trial in rural Tanzania to examine the impact of a nutrition-sensitive agroecology intervention. Results showed significant improvements in children's dietary diversity, household food insecurity reduction, and enhancements in sustainable agriculture practices, women's empowerment, and women's well-being. These findings suggest the potential of nutrition-sensitive agroecological approaches to achieve human health and promote sustainable agricultural practices.
JOURNAL OF NUTRITION
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Sk Masum Billah, Tarana E. Ferdous, Patrick Kelly, Camille Raynes-Greenow, Abu Bakkar Siddique, Nuzhat Choudhury, Tahmeed Ahmed, Stuart Gillespie, John Hoddinott, Purnima Menon, Michael John Dibley, Shams El Arifeen
Summary: The study highlights the positive impact of nutrition counselling using a digital job aid on improving dietary diversity among children aged 6-23 months in developing countries. The intervention increased both the mean dietary diversity score and odds of minimum dietary diversity, with significant effects observed at 9 and 12 months of age. Additionally, the intervention also significantly improved dietary diversity in households with food insecurity.
MATERNAL AND CHILD NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Development Studies
Binayak Sen, Paul Dorosh, Mansur Ahmed
Summary: The research reveals an increasing trend towards non-farm employment in rural Bangladeshi households, especially in areas near cities where the shift is particularly rapid, characterized by a transition from pure agriculture households to mixed households.
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Mateusz Filipski, Anubhab Gupta, Justin Kagin, Arif Husain, Alejandro Grinspun, Oscar Maria Caccavale, Silvio Daidone, Valerio Giuffrida, Friederike Greb, Joseph Hooker, Susanna Sandstrom, Julian Fletcher-Taylor, J. Edward Taylor
Summary: Swift response models are crucial for emergency assistance agencies. The lack of economic models for short-term policy relevant research was revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic, showing the importance of anticipating local impacts and designing effective policy responses. Research found that the pandemic and lockdowns affected rural households as severely as urban households, with greater income losses in poor households in both settings.
AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Sk Masum Billah, Tarana E. Ferdous, Abu Bakkar Siddique, Camille Raynes-Greenow, Patrick Kelly, Nuzhat Choudhury, Tahmeed Ahmed, Stuart Gillespie, John Hoddinott, Rukhsana Haider, Purnima Menon, Shams El Arifeen, Michael J. Dibley
Summary: A study conducted in Bangladesh found that using electronic job aid-supported nutrition counseling and practical demonstration can improve exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rates. This intervention shows promise in improving EBF and can be implemented in community-based programs.
MATERNAL AND CHILD NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Gargi Wable Grandner, Kathleen M. Rasmussen, Katherine L. Dickin, Purnima Menon, Tiffany Yeh, John Hoddinott
Summary: This study used focused ethnography to explore the strategies used by community health workers (CHWs) in rural Bangladesh to gain family support for improving maternal nutrition and breastfeeding practices. The study found that CHWs strategically used rhetorical principles such as credibility, emotion, and logic to persuade influential family members. The findings highlight the importance of targeted CHW training and monitoring to address scientifically flawed counseling narratives.
MATERNAL AND CHILD NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Development Studies
Rachel Sabates-Wheeler, Kalle Hirvonen, Jeremy Lind, John Hoddinott
Summary: Social protection programs and humanitarian assistance coexist in many places in sub-Saharan Africa, calling for better integration of aid provided through these two channels. Research findings show that PSNP and HFA target households with different characteristics, with PSNP transfers reaching those chronically food insecure households. The study also reveals that the value of PSNP transfers is higher than that of HFA, indicating the ability of social protection systems to provide targeted support for different vulnerabilities.
JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Kibrom A. Abay, Guush Berhane, John Hoddinott, Kibrom Tafere
Summary: The placement of a survey module on diet during phone interviews can significantly affect responses. Delaying the module leads to lower reported dietary diversity scores, decreased consumption of multiple food groups, and decreased reporting of consumption of animal source foods and fruits and vegetables. However, placing the module earlier in the interview can increase the reporting of food groups consumed by certain groups.
JOURNAL OF NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Business
Sylvia Blom, Ariel Ortiz-Bobea, John Hoddinott
Summary: Extreme heat exposure is found to increase the prevalence of both chronic and acute malnutrition in early childhood, reversing the progress made on improving nutrition during the study period.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Yaeeun Han, Seollee Park, JiEun Kim, John Hoddinott
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of adding paternal nutrition behavior change communication (BCC) activities or food vouchers to maternal BCC on child diets and household food security in Ethiopian villages. The results showed that maternal BCC combined with paternal BCC or food vouchers improved child diet diversity and household food security. However, increasing paternal involvement did not necessarily lead to improvements in child feeding outcomes, suggesting the need for further research.
JOURNAL OF NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Economics
Liza von Grafenstein, Stephan Klasen, John Hoddinott
Summary: This paper examines the Indian Enigma, which refers to the high prevalence of chronic undernutrition in India compared to sub-Saharan Africa. The authors argue that the mistreatment of higher birth order children, especially girls, is the key factor. By analyzing new data and addressing methodological issues, the study finds that parameter estimates are sensitive to sampling design and model specification, and the remaining height gap between pre-school African and Indian children can be attributed to differences in maternal heights. Additionally, once accounting for survey design and other factors, the significance of being an Indian girl disappears.
ECONOMICS & HUMAN BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Akhter Ahmed, Fiona Coleman, John Hoddinott, Purnima Menon, Aklima Parvin, Audrey Pereira, Agnes Quisumbing, Shalini Roy
Summary: We conducted a randomized controlled trial in rural Bangladesh comparing the effectiveness of female nutrition workers and mostly male agriculture extension workers in delivering nutrition content. Both approaches increased nutrition knowledge, diet quality, and women's empowerment. The presence of same-sex or opposite-sex agents did not significantly affect intervention effects, except for attitudes scores where same-sex agents had a different impact. Our findings suggest that training men to deliver nutrition messages may help address the shortage of female extension workers in South Asia, but accounting for other influential household members, such as mothers-in-law, should be considered in future programs.
Article
Development Studies
Rachel Sabates-Wheeler, Jeremy Lind, John Hoddinott, Mulugeta Tefera Taye
Summary: Many social protection programmes aim to lift people out of poverty, but the Productive Safety Net Programme in Ethiopia has struggled in areas like household asset building and livestock accumulation due to lack of capacity and opportunities. Despite this, many households were prematurely graduated from the programme without evidence of improved livelihoods, possibly due to fulfilment of quotas by field staff. Efforts to graduate households out of poverty require more funds, administrative capacity, and investments in rural services.
DEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW
(2021)