Comparative study of food consumption and nutritional status of tribal and plainland households of Chittagong Hill tracts of Bangladesh

The general objective of this study was to determine the differences and similarities in the food and nutrient consupmtion and the nutritional status of tribal and plainland households in Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. There were 820 households: 400 plain households (PH) and 420 tribal household (TH). Two types of data were gathered, namely: (1) socio-economic through a personal interview using a questionnaire; and (2) dietary intake, anthropometric data such as height, weight and mid-upper arm circumference and health parameter. Data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software. Means, standard deviations, and percentages were calculated. The t-test and chi-square test were used to compare the households and a correlation analysis was used to relate variables. Both types of households significantly differed in socio-demographic characteristics, namely: household size, parent's age and education, number of preschool children, per capita monthly income, expenditure on food and non-food items, and land holding. Agriculture was the main occupation of both types of households. Income of both types of households was quite low, but significantly lower in the PH. Food accounted for a larger share of the household's expenditures compared to non-food. The environmental sanitation, water supply and morbidity condition was worse in the TH than in the PH. Tribal households suffered more from diarrhea while the PH suffered more from the upper respiratory infection. Food consumption was low in both types of households but the mean per capita intake of the TH was significantly higher (P0.001) than of the PH. The PH also consumed more micronutrients than the TH but the TH consumed more macronutrients than the PH. Overall nutrient adequacy and the nutritional status of pre-school children were better in the PH than in the TH. More adult men and women were found to be suffering from chronic energy deficiency in TH than in PH. The nutritional status of preschool children was positive associated with the education of the mother, household size, household income, food intake, use of latrine, and morbidity.