Food consumption patterns and nutrient adequacy across lifecycle stages in Bangladesh

The study aimed to estimate energy, macro, and micronutrient intakes and to compute the probability of adequacy (PA) of 11 selected micronutrient intakes by age, sex, and vulnerabilities.

This study analyzed dietary data from two nationally representative surveys in Bangladesh: the BIHS 2015 (N = 13,086; rural only) and the NSB 2017-2018 (N = 3,116; rural and urban, all divisions). Participants included individuals of all ages and both sexes. Primary outcomes were energy intake and micronutrient adequacy, estimated using usual intake and mean probability of adequacy (MPA) for 11 micronutrients. Secondary outcomes included intake of 13 food groups, macronutrients, dietary fiber, and food-group contributions to nutrient intake, standardized to the individual level using adult male equivalents.

The study showed that cereals dominated diets, with low intake of fruits, leafy vegetables, pulses, milk, and nuts. Nutrient adequacy was low for calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B12, folate, zinc, and vitamin A, except for niacin and vitamin B6. The median MPA across 11 micronutrients was low for all age and physiological groups. Females had lower odds (AOR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.49, 0.70, p < 0.001) of having higher MPA than males. Adolescents (10-18 years) were less likely (AOR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.37, 0.88, P = 0.01) to have higher MPA compared to children (1-5 years). Participants from large families (>4 members) had lower odds (AOR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.57, 0.86, p = 0.001) of having higher MPA than those from smaller families. Children under 2 years were less likely (AOR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.41, 0.64, p < 0.001) to have higher MPA than women of reproductive age (WRA).

The study found cereal-dominated diets with low consumption of fruits, leafy vegetables, pulses, milk, and nuts, potentially contributing to widespread inadequacy of essential micronutrients across all age groups. Policies and strategies should promote the production, affordability, accessibility, and consumption of nutrient-dense foods, particularly pulses, fruits, nuts and seeds, leafy vegetables, and dairy products, to improve micronutrient adequacy.