2017

Increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in Bangladeshi women of reproductive age: Findings from 2004 to 2014

2026-02-18T06:15:24Z

Increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in Bangladeshi women of reproductive age: Findings from 2004 to 2014 Biswas, Tuhin Background Overweight and obesity are a particular concern for women of reproductive age. They not only increase the risk of chronic diseases but they are also associated with adverse perina- tal, neonatal, infant and child outcomes. The objective of this study was to examine the trend of overweight and obesity among Bangladeshi women of reproductive age between 2004 and 2014. Method This is a secondary data analysis of the 2004, 2007, 2011 and 2014 Bangladesh Demo- graphic and Health Surveys (BDHS). We determined the age standardized prevalence of overweight and obesity of women aged 15–49 years, who had their weight and height mea- sured. Overweight and obesity were determined using the Asian specific BMI cut-offs criteria. Result The prevalence of overweight increased from 11.4% [95% CI: 10.4to 12.5] in 2004 to 25.2% [95% CI: 24.0 to 26.4] in 2014. The prevalence of obesity increased from 3.5% [95% CI: 3.0to4.2] to 11.2% [95% CI: 10.1to12.5%] over the same period of time. This was seen in all age groups. However, the greatest increase was observed in women aged 35 to 49 years. The highest prevalence of overweight and obesity were observed in those women with the highest education level and wealth, larger family size, living in urban areas and not being in paid employment. Conclusion The prevalence of overweight and obesity among women of reproductive age in Bangladesh is high and increasing. We speculate that this has the potential to jeopardize the improvements that have been made in maternal and infant health over the last two decades. Evidence based prevention strategies are required to address this serious public health issue.

Non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors and diabetes among adults living in slum areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh

2026-02-18T06:15:17Z

Non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors and diabetes among adults living in slum areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh Biswas, Tuhin Background Despite one-third of the urban population in Bangladesh living in urban slums and at increased risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), little is known about the NCD risk profile of this at-risk population. The aim of the study was to identify the prevalence of the NCD risk factors and the association of NCD risk factors with socio-demographic factors among the adults of urban slums in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted among adult slum dwellers (aged 25 and above) residing in three purposively selected urban slums of Dhaka for at least six months preced- ing the survey. The risk factors assessed were- currently smoking, fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, hypertension and body mass index (BMI). Information on self- reported diabetes was also taken. A total of 507 participants (252 females; 49.7%) were interviewed and their physical measures were taken using the WHO NCD STEPS instrument. Result The overall prevalence of NCD risk factors was: 36.0% (95% CI: 31.82–40.41) for smoking; 95.60% (95% CI: 93.60–97.40) for insufficient fruit and vegetable intake; 15.30% (95% CI:12.12–18.71) for low physical activity;13.70% (95% CI: 10.71–16.92) for hypertension; 22.70% (95% CI: 19.31–26.02) for overweight or obesity; and 5.00% (95%: 3.20–7.00) for self-reported diabetes. In the logistic regression model, the clustering of three or more NCD risk factors was positively associated with younger age groups (p = 0.02), no formal educa- tion (p <0.001) and primary education level (p = 0.01), but did not differ by sex of the partici- pants, monthly income and occupation. Conclusion All NCD risk factors are markedly high among the urban slum adults. These findings are important to support the formulation and implementation of NCD-related polices and plan of actions that recognize urban slum populations in Bangladesh as a priority sub-population.

Bangladesh policy on prevention and control of non-communicable diseases: a policy analysis

2026-02-18T06:15:11Z

Bangladesh policy on prevention and control of non-communicable diseases: a policy analysis Biswas, Tuhin Background: This paper is aimed at critically assessing the extent to which Non-Communicable Disease NCD- related policies introduced in Bangladesh align with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2013–2020 Action Plan for the Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of NCDs. Methods: The authors reviewed all relevant policy documents introduced by the Government of Bangladesh since its independence in 1971. The literature review targeted scientific and grey literature documents involving internet- based search, and expert consultation and snowballing to identify relevant policy documents. Information was extracted from the documents using a specific matrix, mapping each document against the six objectives of the WHO 2013–2020 Action Plan for the Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of NCDs. Results: A total of 51 documents were identified. Seven (14%) were research and/or surveys, nine were on established policies (17%), while seventeen (33%) were on action programmes. Five (10%) were related to guidelines and thirteen (25%) were strategic planning documents from government and non-government agencies/institutes. The study covered documents produced by the Government of Bangladesh as well as those by quasi-government and non-government organizations irrespective of the extent to which the intended policies were implemented. Conclusions: The policy analysis findings suggest that although the government has initiated many NCD-related policies or programs, they lacked proper planning, implementation and monitoring. Consequently, Bangladesh over the years had little success in effectively addressing the growing burden of non-communicable diseases. It is imperative that future research critically assess the effectiveness of national NCD policies by monitoring their implementation and level of population coverage.

Impact of mobile phone-based technology to improve health, population and nutrition services in Rural Bangladesh: a study protocol

2026-02-18T06:15:10Z

Impact of mobile phone-based technology to improve health, population and nutrition services in Rural Bangladesh: a study protocol Biswas, Tuhin Background: Mobile phone-based technology has been used in improving the delivery of healthcare services in many countries. However, data on the effects of this technology on improving primary healthcare services in resource-poor settings are limited. The aim of this study is to develop and test a mobile phone-based system to improve health, population and nutrition services in rural Bangladesh and evaluate its impact on service delivery. Methods: The study will use a quasi-experimental pre-post design, with intervention and comparison areas. Outcome indicators will include: antenatal care (ANC), delivery care, postnatal care (PNC), neonatal care, expanded programme on immunization (EPI) coverage, and contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR). The study will be conducted over a period of 30 months, using the existing health systems of Bangladesh. The intervention will be implemented through the existing service-delivery personnel at various primary-care levels, such as community clinic, union health and family welfare centre, and upazila health complex. These healthcare providers will be given mobile phones equipped with Apps for sending text and voice messages, along with the use of Internet and device for data-capturing. Training on handling of the Smartphones, data-capturing and monitoring will be given to selected service providers. They will also be trained on inputs, editing, verifying, and monitoring the outcome variables. Discussion: Mobile phone-based technology has the potential to improve primary healthcare services in low-income countries, like Bangladesh. It is expected that our study will contribute to testing and developing a mobile phone-based intervention to improve the coverage and quality of services. The learning can be used in other similar settings in the low-and middle-income countries.