Food consumption, energy and nutrient intake and nutritional status in rural Bangladesh: changes from 1981-1982 to 1995-96

Objective: To determine and evaluate changes in nutritional status, food consumption, energy and nutrient intake in rural Bangladesh, using appropriate statistical analyses. Design: Repeated cross-sectional surveys. Two seasons in 1981-1982 and 1995-1996. Setting: Two villages with different production patterns. Subjects: Anthropometric measurements of 1883 individuals, food consumption data of 404 households. Methods: Repeated measurements of one-day food weighing and anthropometry in two seasons in 1981-1982 and 1995-1996. Mixed model analyses were used to evaluate and quantify temporal changes and their interactions with determinants. Results: Prevalence of underweight children decreased from 82 to 70% (P = 0.015), wasted children from 34% to 18% (P = 0.009) and chronic energy deficient adults decreased from 78 to 64% (P <0.0001). Intake of fish and green leafy vegetables increased from (I.s. mean +/- s.e.) 23 +/- 3.0 to 40 +/- 1.8g/person/day (P <0.001) and from 28 +/- 4.5 to 41 +/- 2.7g/person/day (P = 0.019), respectively. Rice intake remained unchanged: 463 +/- 12 g raw/person/day in 1981-1982 and 450 +/- 7.3 g raw/person/day in 1995-1996(P = 0.355). Calciumand iron intakes increased by 40% (P <0.0001)and 16% (P = 0.0002), respectively, whereas vitamin A intake remained unchanged. Conclusions: Nutritional status improved and intakes of nutrient dense food groups, fat, iron and calcium increased from 1981-1982 to 1995-1996.