Factors affecting social determinants of female adolescent malnutrition in Bangladesh
Based on:
Master's Thesis (2019)
This paper proved female adolescent malnutrition in Bangladesh requires further exploration from a social determinants point of view. Treating social determinants of female adolescent malnutrition as a fundamental cause requires more importance.
Brief by:
Content
The purpose of the research was to understand how social determinants of health affect female adolescent malnutrition in Bangladesh. Worldwide there is disparity in adolescent death between developing and developed nations. Adolescents’ lack of agency, their social and cultural factors subject them to malnutrition. Social determinants can have a detrimental impact on malnutrition just like clinical/biological causes of malnutrition e.g diarrhoeal diseases, HIV, chronic infection, crohn’s disease etc.
Key findings
Among the 10 most important factors that contribute to adolescent malnutrition- being female and being poor subject female adolescents to the worst outcome of malnutrition.
Other factors like literacy of parents, age of marriage etc were capable of causing malnutrition individually as well as by influencing other factors.
Poverty was a common theme found in all of the seven studies.
Adolescents belonging to low socio-economic status and victims of poverty had higher percentages of stunting, wasting, thinness and micro-nutrient deficiencies. Studies proved, these affected the older, ever married or pregnant adolescents and subjected them to anaemia. Being poor but living in urban city also caused malnutrition though a number of studies showed urban adolescents are less prone to malnutrition. Literature has shown adolescents belonging to disadvantaged social position were more prone to be stunted. Stunting and underweight was caused by poverty in tribal adolescents in Bangladesh as demonstrated by others work too. Lower social position is a risk factor for being underweight in rural women which is a similar finding in many literature as well as this.
Female adolescent malnutrition owing to patriarchal society - Socially, culturally and religiously selected studies showed Bangladesh is a male dominated society.
Thus it sometimes fails to give equal attention to growing adolescents where both the boys and the girls have increased requirement for nutrition due to growth spurt. Especially when girls are married off many families expect them to become pregnant right away not considering the risks and their increased nutritional demand. Cultural and social causes, affect the female adolescents in a worse way than adolescent males. Furthermore, limited autonomy of female adolescents put them higher risk of malnutrition
Maternal education protected against malnutrition especially as educated mothers have more decision making power.
This finding was consistent with findings from literature review, however, impact of paternal education was not seen very rarely, hence it is difficult to say whether it may aid in preventing malnutrition
Proposed action
Investigate the local contexts of the population that malnutrition programs aim to affect
Bangladesh seems to have fairly good policies to tackle adolescent malnutrition
There should be more research conducted on adolescent malnutrition in Bangladesh and worldwide
Do not just focus on female malnutrition as male malnutrition is also an issue
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Acknowledgements
Thank you to iDE Global
These insights were made available thanks to the support of iDE Global, who are committed to the dissemination of knowledge for all.
Special thanks to Christina Takayama for preparation assistance
We would like to extend a special thank you to Christina Takayama, for their invaluable contribution in assisting the preparation of this research summary.
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Factors affecting social determinants of female adolescent malnutrition in Bangladesh
Cite this brief: Tarannum, Tazkia. 'Factors affecting social determinants of female adolescent malnutrition in Bangladesh'. Acume. https://www.acume.org/r/factors-affecting-social-determinants-of-female-adolescent-malnutrition-in-bangladesh/
Brief created by: Tazkia Tarannum | Year brief made: 2022
Original research:
- Tarannum, T., Factors affecting social determinants of female adolescent malnutrition in Bangladesh https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3405584. – https://ssrn.com/abstract=3405584
Research brief:
This paper proved female adolescent malnutrition in Bangladesh requires further exploration from a social determinants point of view. Treating social determinants of female adolescent malnutrition as a fundamental cause requires more importance.
The purpose of the research was to understand how social determinants of health affect female adolescent malnutrition in Bangladesh. Worldwide there is disparity in adolescent death between developing and developed nations. Adolescents’ lack of agency, their social and cultural factors subject them to malnutrition. Social determinants can have a detrimental impact on malnutrition just like clinical/biological causes of malnutrition e.g diarrhoeal diseases, HIV, chronic infection, crohn’s disease etc.
Findings:
Among the 10 most important factors that contribute to adolescent malnutrition- being female and being poor subject female adolescents to the worst outcome of malnutrition.
Other factors like literacy of parents, age of marriage etc were capable of causing malnutrition individually as well as by influencing other factors.
Poverty was a common theme found in all of the seven studies.
Adolescents belonging to low socio-economic status and victims of poverty had higher percentages of stunting, wasting, thinness and micro-nutrient deficiencies. Studies proved, these affected the older, ever married or pregnant adolescents and subjected them to anaemia. Being poor but living in urban city also caused malnutrition though a number of studies showed urban adolescents are less prone to malnutrition. Literature has shown adolescents belonging to disadvantaged social position were more prone to be stunted. Stunting and underweight was caused by poverty in tribal adolescents in Bangladesh as demonstrated by others work too. Lower social position is a risk factor for being underweight in rural women which is a similar finding in many literature as well as this.
Female adolescent malnutrition owing to patriarchal society – Socially, culturally and religiously selected studies showed Bangladesh is a male dominated society.
Thus it sometimes fails to give equal attention to growing adolescents where both the boys and the girls have increased requirement for nutrition due to growth spurt. Especially when girls are married off many families expect them to become pregnant right away not considering the risks and their increased nutritional demand. Cultural and social causes, affect the female adolescents in a worse way than adolescent males. Furthermore, limited autonomy of female adolescents put them higher risk of malnutrition
Maternal education protected against malnutrition especially as educated mothers have more decision making power.
This finding was consistent with findings from literature review, however, impact of paternal education was not seen very rarely, hence it is difficult to say whether it may aid in preventing malnutrition
Advice:
Investigate the local contexts of the population that malnutrition programs aim to affect
- The differences in the contexts, local religions, family dynamics, income etc. all impact malnutrition.In order to tackle malnutrition, poverty and gender inequality will also have to be tackled as these factors can individually or collectively cause malnutrition.
Bangladesh seems to have fairly good policies to tackle adolescent malnutrition
- Much of it have been updated after this paper has been written. However the implementation of the policies and their monitoring should be the priority for Bangladesh Government. Also improving coordination among different partners/ministries is crucial to approach social determinants of female adolescent malnutrition in Bangladesh. Collective efforts from all sector can tackle malnutrition more efficiently
There should be more research conducted on adolescent malnutrition in Bangladesh and worldwide
- There are currently large gaps in research which make it difficult to understand the larger context and information regarding malnutrition.Investigating impact of seasonal variation, dietary diversification on malnutrition, variation in factors affecting adolescent malnutrition in remote area, rural, urban area etc will give more insight in solving malnutrition and related complications.
Do not just focus on female malnutrition as male malnutrition is also an issue