1.Prevalence and Determinants of Smoking Behaviour among the Secondary School Teachers in Bangladesh
Md Mizanur Rahman ; Md Jahirul Karim ; Sk Akhtar Ahmad ; Mohd. Raili Suhaili
International Journal of Public Health Research 2011;-(Special issue):25-32
Despite country’s tobacco control law, cigarette smoking by the young people and the magnitude of nicotine dependence among the school personnel is alarming. To determine the prevalence of smoking and to examine the determinants of smoking behaviour among the secondary school teachers in Bangladesh. A two-stage cluster sampling was used with a selection of schools on
Probability Proportional to Enrolment (PPE) size followed by stratified random sampling of government and private schools and then all the teachers present on the day of the survey were selected for the study. The 66-item
questionnaire included smoking behaviour, knowledge, attitude, second-hand smoking, tobacco free school policy, cessation, media advertisement and curriculum related topics. Seven additional questions were included to assess
the socio-demographic characteristics of the teachers. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 17 software. A total of 60 schools were selected with school response rate of 98.3%. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was filled in by all teachers present at the day of the survey. The sample consisted of 559 teachers with response rate of 99.5%. The prevalence of smoking was 17% (95% CI: 14%, 20.4). About half of the teachers (48.4%) smoke daily followed by 25.3% smoke 1-2 days in last 30 days. The mean duration smoking of was 13.7(95% CI: 11.6, 15.9) years. Logistic regression analysis revealed that male teachers smoke 37.46(95% CI: 5.078, 276.432) times higher than their female counterparts. The graduate teachers were 2.179(95% 1.209, 3.926) times more likely to be smoke than master’s degree holder teachers. Smoking by friends appeared to be the strongest predictor for teachers smoking behaviour (OR 4.789, 95% CI: 1.757, 13.050). However, no statistically significant association was found between type of school, second-hand smoking and curriculum related factors and smoking behaviour of the teachers (p>0.05). Prevalence of smoking among the teachers is high in Bangladesh. Effective smoking prevention program should take into account within the dominant of socio-environmental influence to reduce smoking behaviour. The school curriculum items had less impact in preventing smoking behaviour.
Smoking
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Behavior
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Faculty
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Bangladesh
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Prevalence
2.Response: Prevalence of Depression and Glucose Abnormality in an Urbanizing Rural Population of Bangladesh (Diabetes Metab J 2015;39:218-29).
Khurshid NATASHA ; Akhtar HUSSAIN ; A K AZAD KHAN ; Bishwajit BHOWMIK
Diabetes & Metabolism Journal 2015;39(6):530-530
No abstract available.
Bangladesh*
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Depression*
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Glucose*
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Prevalence*
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Rural Population*
3.Letter: Prevalence of Depression and Glucose Abnormality in an Urbanizing Rural Population of Bangladesh (Diabetes Metab J 2015;39:218-29).
Diabetes & Metabolism Journal 2015;39(6):528-529
No abstract available.
Bangladesh*
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Depression*
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Glucose*
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Prevalence*
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Rural Population*
4.Prevalence of Underweight and Effect of Nutritional Status on Academic Performance of Primary School Children in Chapainawabganj District, Bangladesh
Md Golam ; Md Saimul ; Kazi Enamul H ; Md Ashraful ; Mamun ASMA ; Kamruzzaman M ; Saw A
Malaysian Journal of Nutrition 2014;20(1):71-81
The high prevalence of underweight among children is a serious health concern in Bangladesh. Nutritional status influences students' academic performance directly or indirectly. This study aimed to determine factors that affect the academic performance of students in primary schools. Methods: Data were collected from several schools and madrasahs in Chapainawabganj district, Bangladesh using multistage stratified sampling with proportional allocation technique. Results: The prevalence of underweight children was 32.3%, with 43.0% of them being girls and 21.4% boys. Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that normal weight children were more likely (p<0.05) to obtain good results (GPA >3.50) than underweight children. Children with gestational age of 39 to 41 weeks were more likely to obtain good results than those whose gestational age was 37 and 38 weeks. Children who were breastfed for <24 months were less likely (p<0.01) to perform well academically (GPA>3.50) compared to their counterparts. Children whose parents had a higher income or higher education had a significantly better chance of obtaining good results compared to their counterparts. Conclusion: These results suggest that childhood nutritional status, parents' education and economic level are significant common factors which affect children's academic performance. Consequently, under-nutrition and poverty can be considered as the major problems for good academic performance of Bangladeshi children and requires attention
Thinness
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Nutritional Status
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Schools
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Child
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Bangladesh
5.Development and Evaluation of Weaning Foods Using Locally Available Nutritious Fruits in Bangladesh
Satter MA ; Jabin S ; Abedin N ; Islam MP ; Parvin R ; Dhali M ; Amin MZ
Malaysian Journal of Nutrition 2014;20(1):83-92
Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of malnutrition in the world although the country is endowed with agricultural produce that could be properly utilised to prepare adequate food for children. Considering this, three weaning foods were formulated using locally available cereals and nutritious fruits such as wheat, soya flour, jackfruit and mango. Methods: Standard procedures of Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) and American Public Health Association (APHA) were used to determine the chemical composition and microbiological analysis. Organoleptic qualities were analysed by twenty adult panelists of the Institute of Food Science and Technology, Bangladesh, using a 9-hedonic scale against a cereal based commercial brand as standard for proximate and sensory properties. Results: The moisture content of the developed weaning foods ranged from 2.78-3.59%, crude protein content 14.74-16.55%, fat 11.04-12.70%, ash 1.38-1.68%, crude fibre 1.04-1.52%, carbohydrate 65.83-71.09% and energy content from 445.80-465.48 kcal/100g of the foods. The formulated weaning foods A, B and C were significantly different (p<0.05) in moisture, protein, fat, carbohydrate and energy contents from the commercial brand, D. According to rat bioassay method, the prepared weaning foods C and B had the highest Protein Efficiency Ratio and Feed Efficiency Ratio than the commercial brand, D. Total bacterial counts were nil for all weaning foods. Sensory analysis revealed acceptability of all the weaning foods and preference for weaning food C that compared favorably with the standard in all the quality attributes. Conclusion: The formulated weaning foods are inexpensive and nutritious, and its ingredients are locally available. These foods have the potential for improving malnutrition problems facing children in Bangladesh.
Malnutrition
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Artocarpus
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Mangifera
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Soybeans
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Child
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Bangladesh
6.Biological Control of Alternaria Fruit Rot of Chili by Trichoderma Species under Field Conditions.
Most Ferdousi BEGUM ; M A RAHMAN ; M Firoz ALAM
Mycobiology 2010;38(2):113-117
Trichoderma strains were evaluated under field conditions to assay their efficacy in suppressing Alternaria fruit rot disease and promoting chili plant growth. The experiment was conducted at the Botanical Garden, Rajshahi University, Bangladesh from July 2006 to March 2007. Application of Trichoderma harzianum IMI 392432 significantly (p = 0.05) suppressed the disease compared to Alternaria tenuis (T2) treatment and improved both growth and yield. The treatment T4 (T. harzianum IMI-392432 + A. tenuis) was most effective in reducing disease percentage (72.27%) compared to A. tenuis (T1) treatment. The highest seed germination rate (85.56%) and the highest growth and yield (12.5 g/plant) was also recorded in the same treatment (T4), followed by T5 (T. harzianum IMI-392433 000000 + A. tenuis), T6 (T. harzianum IMI-392434 +A. tenuis), T2 (T. virens IMI-392430 + A. tenuis), and T3 (T. pseudokoningii IMI-392431 +A. tenuis) treatment, while single treatment with A. tenuis significantly decreased these values.
Alternaria
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Bangladesh
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Fruit
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Germination
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Plants
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Seeds
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Trichoderma
7.Newborn screening in Bangladesh.
Mizanul HASAN ; Nurun NAHAR ; Fauzia MOSLEM ; Nargis Ara BEGUM
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore 2008;37(12 Suppl):111-113
Newborn screening started in Bangladesh in 1999. The programme started as part of a regional project of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to screen for congenital hypothyroidism (CH). In the beginning the IAEA helped the country with equipment, filter papers, reagents, training and expert services. Since 1999, 2 pilot projects to screen newborns for CH were completed. Under these projects some 30,000 newborns were screened and 16 were identified with hypothyroidism. The government of Bangladesh approved a national project in July 2006 to screen newborns in some selected areas of the country for CH. Under the project some 200,000 newborns will be screened and laboratory facilities for newborn screening will be increased. Bangladesh has a large population of about 140 million. With the current birth rate some 2 million new births take place every year. The socio-economic situation of the country is also different. Per capita income of the country is one of the lowest in the world. About 85% of babies are still delivered at home. As such newborn screening is a big challenge for Bangladesh. However, the country is trying to overcome these challenges.
Bangladesh
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Congenital Hypothyroidism
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diagnosis
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Humans
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Infant, Newborn
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Neonatal Screening
8.Food Insecurity and Nutritional Outcome in Children and Mothers of Bangladesh and Some Perceptions to Overcome Malnutrition
G.M. Rabiul Islam ; Jeroen Buysse
International Journal of Public Health Research 2012;2(1):101-114
To understand the extent of food insecurity in Bangladesh emphasizing on the non cereal food availability and maternal and child nutritional outcome. We conducted systematic review in between 1985 to 2010 by using PubMed and Google Scholar databases as well as archives of relevant journals by hand. Contacting with the author was also performed in the case where original data needed. Results from the evidence it may be sated that despite the growth of cereal production and its availability Bangladesh is still problems with accessing of non cereal foods (e.g., vegetable, fruits, fish, milk, meat, egg etc) as well as the incidence of acute malnutrition in children and mothers were hardnosed in the rural area of Bangladesh.
Food Supply
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Body Mass Index
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Malnutrition
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Child
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Mothers
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Bangladesh
9.Anthropometric Variables and Nutritional Status of Adolescent School Girls in a Food Insecure Rural Area of Bangladesh
Mohammad Azizur Rahman ; Reza Ul Karim
International Journal of Public Health Research 2013;3(2):290-296
This study estimated the anthropometric variables and nutritional status of rural adolescent school girls of food insecure Bera subdistrict of Pabna district in Bangladesh. The cross sectional study was carried out in rural adolescent school girls of 21 governments approved high schools of Bera sudistrict of Pabna district, Bangladesh. Anthropometric and socio-demographic information from 2,196 adolescent girls were collected during 2011-2012 academic session. Height and weight were measured using standard procedure and the body mass index (BMI) was calculated. BMI was compared to the 2007 WHO growth reference. Height- for-age (HAZ), weight-for-age (WAZ) and BMI-for-age (BMIZ) were used to evaluate stunting, underweight and thinness respectively, based on the National Centre of Heath Statistics (NCHS) < - 2 Z score values. Classification of severity of malnutrition was done based on WHO recommendation. Mean BMI-for-age were less than those of 2007 WHO growth reference for girls at all ages. The overall rate of stunting, underweight and thinness was 33.13%, 28.06% and 17.92% respectively. Based on WHO classification of severity of malnutrition, the overall prevalence of stunting was high (30-39%), whereas those of underweight 20-29% was high. This study concludes that poor anthropometric variables and nutritional status among the adolescents indicated a major public health problem in food insecure rural areas of Bangladesh. An intensive and comprehensive approach is required to improve the nutritional status of rural adolescent girls of Bangladesh.
Anthropometry
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Nutritional Status
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Students
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Adolescent
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Rural Population
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Bangladesh
10.Nutritional Analysis of Cultivated Mushrooms in Bangladesh - Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus sajor-caju, Pleurotus florida and Calocybe indica.
Nuhu ALAM ; Ruhul AMIN ; Asaduzzaman KHAN ; Ismot ARA ; Mi Ja SHIM ; Min Woong LEE ; Tae Soo LEE
Mycobiology 2008;36(4):228-232
Mushroom cultivation has been started recently in Bangladesh. Awareness of the nutritional and medicinal importance of mushrooms is not extensive. In this study, the nutritional values of dietary mushrooms- Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus sajorcaju, Pleurotus florida and Calocybe indica that are very popular among the cultivated mushrooms in Bangladesh have been determined. These mushrooms were rich in proteins (20~25%) and fibers (13~24% in dry samples) and contained a lower amount of lipid (4 to 5%). The carbohydrate contents ranged from 37 to 48% (on the basis of dry weight). These were also rich in mineral contents (total ash content is 8~13%). The pileus and gills were protein and lipid rich and stripe was carbohydrate and fiber-rich. The moisture content of mushrooms ranged from 86 to 87.5%. Data of this study suggest that mushrooms are rich in nutritional value.
Agaricales
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Animals
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Bangladesh
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Florida
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Gills
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Minerals
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Nutritive Value
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Pleurotus
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Proteins