Malnutrition among adolescents is often associated with inadequate dietary diversity (DD). We aimed to explore the prevalence of inadequate DD and its socio-economic determinants among adolescent girls and boys in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional survey was conducted during the 2018–19 round of national nutrition surveillance in Bangladesh. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify the determinants of inadequate DD among adolescent girls and boys separately. This population-based survey covered eighty-two rural, non-slum urban and slum clusters from all divisions of Bangladesh. A total of 4865 adolescent girls and 4907 adolescent boys were interviewed. The overall prevalence of inadequate DD was higher among girls (55⋅4 %) than the boys (50⋅6 %). Moreover, compared to boys, the prevalence of inadequate DD was higher among the girls for almost all socio-economic categories. Poor educational attainment, poor maternal education, female-headed household, household food insecurity and poor household wealth were associated with increased chances of having inadequate DD in both sexes. In conclusion, more than half of the Bangladeshi adolescent girls and boys consumed an inadequately diversified diet. The socio-economic determinants of inadequate DD should be addressed through context-specific multisectoral interventions.

Livers (n = 80) of slaughtered adult buffaloes were examined for pathological changes during the period from July 2006 to March 2007 in two slaughterhouses of Barisal district. Livers exhibiting gross alterations were cleaned with normal neutral saline and the changes were recorded. The lesions containing tissue samples were collected in 10% buffered formalin for fixation. Grossly, Gigantocotyle explanatum infection (amphistomiasis) was found in 31.25% and Fasciola gigantica infection was in 22.5% cases. Hydatidosis (2.5%), abscesses (3.75%), and haemorrhages (2.5%) were found in the liver. Histopathologically, cirrhosis was found in 31.25% cases. Nodular hepatitis 7.5%, granulomatous hepatitis 5% and parasitic cholecystitis 15% were also recorded during the investigation. Survey showed that the severity of infection with G. explanatum 31.25% and F. gigantica 22.5% and cirrhosis 31.25% were of highest percentage.

Background The global epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) renders its prevention a major public health priority. A key risk factor of diabetes is obesity and poor diets. Food environments have been found to influence people’s diets and obesity, positing they may play a role in the prevalence of diabetes. Yet, there is scant evidence on the role they may play in the context of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We examined the associations of food environments on T2DM among adults and its heterogeneity by income and sex. Methods and findings We linked individual health outcome data of 12,167 individuals from a network of health surveillance sites (the South Asia Biobank) to the density and proximity of food outlets geolocated around their homes from environment mapping survey data collected between 2018 and 2020 in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Density was defined as share of food outlets within 300 m from study participant’s home, and proximity was defined as having at least 1 outlet within 100 m from home. The outcome variables include fasting blood glucose level, high blood glucose, and self-reported diagnosed diabetes. Control variables included demographics, socioeconomic status (SES), health status, healthcare utilization, and physical activities. Data were analyzed in ArcMap 10.3 and STATA 15.1. A higher share of fast-food restaurants (FFR) was associated with a 9.21 mg/dl blood glucose increase (95% CI: 0.17, 18.24; p < 0.05). Having at least 1 FFR in the proximity was associated with 2.14 mg/dl blood glucose increase (CI: 0.55, 3.72; p < 0.01). A 1% increase in the share of FFR near an individual’s home was associated with 8% increase in the probability of being clinically diagnosed as a diabetic (average marginal effects (AMEs): 0.08; CI: 0.02, 0.14; p < 0.05). Having at least 1 FFR near home was associated with 16% (odds ratio [OR]: 1.16; CI: 1.01, 1.33; p < 0.05) and 19% (OR: 1.19; CI: 1.03, 1.38; p < 0.05) increases in the odds of higher blood glucose levels and diagnosed diabetes, respectively. The positive association between FFR density and blood glucose level was stronger among women than men, but the association between FFR proximity and blood glucose level was stronger among men as well as among those with higher incomes. One of the study’s key limitations is that we measured exposure to food environments around residency geolocation; however, participants may source their meals elsewhere. Conclusions Our results suggest that the exposure to fast-food outlets may have a detrimental impact on the risk of T2DM, especially among females and higher-income earners. Policies should target changes in the food environments to promote better diets and prevent T2DM.

An investigation was carried out to determine the efficacy of some organic materials to manage anthracnose (Colletotrichum capsici) of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) under natural field condition at Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh. Plant extracts of neem (Azadirachta indica), mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni), koromcha (Carissa carandas) and garlic (Allium sativum) applied as foliar spray, singly or in combination to find out their efficacy and profitability compared with control (no spray) and chemical fungicide Ridomil 50 WP (as a positive control). All the treatments controlled the disease significantly providing higher yield compared to control. As chemical, the combined application of neem, mahogany and garlic extracts also showed significant impact on disease reduction as well as on yield of chilli. Relatively, this organic cocktail gave a higher benefit (BCR = 3.97) with minimum production cost and this approach is proposed to the chilli-growing farmers to mitigate the chilli anthracnose. So, organic combination might be a better option to control anthracnose of Chilli rather than chemical control as it is cost-effective and environment friendly.

Rahman et al. (1976) reported that in case of adult goats, 43.45 percent of total mortality was due to gastro-intestinal parasitism in Mymensingh region of Bangladesh. So, more attentions should be given to the effect of these 4 systems of feeding on the productivity and parasitic infestation of Black Bengal goats. The effects of feeding systems on the productive and reproductive performances of Black Bengal goats are not clear. Therefore, systematic study is needed to determine the effect of these 4 systems (stall-feeding, tethering, restricted grazing and grazing) on growth, feed intake, feeding behavior, disease prevalence, reproductive performance and carcass characteristics of Black Bengal goat.Taking this in mind, the present experiment was carried out to study the feed intake, growth, feeding behavior, conception rate, gestation period, birth weight of kid, lactation period, milk yield and parasitic infestation of Black Bengal goat on different systems of feeding.