Hospital dietetics and food service in developing countries: III. Bangladesh

A survey of 11 hospitals in Bangladesh revealed that most heads of hospital food service had little or no training in nutrition and dietetics, hospital diets were usually inadequate, therapeutic diets were seldom used, and kitchen sanitation was poor. However, in three hospitals in which the heads of food service had some education in nutrition, conditions were markedly better. Even though the results of this survey suggest that major improvements are needed in hospital food service and dietetics in Bangladesh, extensive training programs are probably unrealistic because of the limited economic base of the country. Short-term inservice training programs could result in marked improvement in the quality of food service, sanitation, and the use of therapeutic diets.