BSS, Dhaka :
A nationwide study has found prevalence of highest rate of malnutrition in north and southeastern regions of Sylhet and Chittagong despite their relatively better economy.
“The Sylhet and Chittagong divisions are known for their better status in terms of poverty, compared to relatively poor northwestern Rajshahi or southeastern Khulna. But their nutrition status speaks otherwise,” a specialist of World Food Programme (WFP) told BSS referring to a newly released nutrition mapping.
WFP’s Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping Unit official Kayenat Kabir said the finding of their study jointly with Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) showed the nutrition status of the south- and the southwestern regions were better than the two other relatively developed regions of the country.
In Sylhet division, she said, stunting and underweight rates were found not in remote haor areas alone, but also in all upazilas of the region and “this rate is above WHO-set critical threshold level”.
Kayenat said, in contrast, despite its higher poverty rates, the Khulna division was found to be the region with lowest stunting rates.
“But the study found both the stunting and underweight rates to be highest among the under-five children in Sylhet-with 44.6 percent stunted and 38.5 underweight children,” she said.
A nationwide study has found prevalence of highest rate of malnutrition in north and southeastern regions of Sylhet and Chittagong despite their relatively better economy.
“The Sylhet and Chittagong divisions are known for their better status in terms of poverty, compared to relatively poor northwestern Rajshahi or southeastern Khulna. But their nutrition status speaks otherwise,” a specialist of World Food Programme (WFP) told BSS referring to a newly released nutrition mapping.
WFP’s Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping Unit official Kayenat Kabir said the finding of their study jointly with Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) showed the nutrition status of the south- and the southwestern regions were better than the two other relatively developed regions of the country.
In Sylhet division, she said, stunting and underweight rates were found not in remote haor areas alone, but also in all upazilas of the region and “this rate is above WHO-set critical threshold level”.
Kayenat said, in contrast, despite its higher poverty rates, the Khulna division was found to be the region with lowest stunting rates.
“But the study found both the stunting and underweight rates to be highest among the under-five children in Sylhet-with 44.6 percent stunted and 38.5 underweight children,” she said.
