Introduction: Vitamin A deficiency is one of the most serious health problems in developing countries. This study aims to explore the comparative figure of vitamin A knowledge, household consumption frequency of vitamin A-rich foods, and association of socio-demographic factors with knowledge and consumption in four residential areas in Tangail district, Bangladesh. Methods: This study used a population-based cross-sectional design with 400 study participants selected using purposive sampling technique. Knowledge and consumption frequency were assessed by a structured questionnaire along with food frequency table. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: Only 33.5% participants had primary vitamin A knowledge, where most from urban (48.5%) and semi-urban (30.6%) areas had comparatively higher knowledge than those from rural (11.2%) and slum (9.7%) areas. Specific knowledge level was also poorer in rural and slum areas than urban and semi-urban areas. Most of the participants received knowledge through commercial advertisements (65.7%). Household consumption frequency of vitamin A-rich foods (plant and animal) was comparatively lower in rural and slum areas than in urban and semi-urban areas. Different socio-demographic factors (place of residence, education and household income) significantly influenced participant’s vitamin A knowledge and household consumption of vitamin A-rich foods (p<0.05). Conclusion: In general, the study population lacked knowledge regarding the importance of vitamin A. Consumption frequency of vitamin A-rich foods was still poorer in slum and rural areas than in urban and semi-urban areas.
A population based cross-sectional study was conducted in four residential areas of Tangail Sadar Upazila, Bangladesh aiming to explore the knowledge about vitamin A fortifi ed edible oils and rice as well as the their consumption rate. A total of 400 participants were randomly selected. Data were collected through face to face interviews. Only 15.0% and 3.5% participants had knowledge about vitamin A fortifi ed edible oils and rice respectively. Precisely vitamin A fortifi ed edible oils knowledge level was found inferior in rural (11.7%) and slum (0%) than urban (48.3%) and semi-urban (40.0%) participants. Knowledge about vitamin A fortifi ed rice was found higher in urban (78.6%) than rural (14.3%) and slum (0%) participants. Most of the participants received knowledge through advertisements (Nϭ45 and Nϭ12 for fortifi ed oils and rice respectively). Maximum participants (62.3%) did not consume vitamin A fortifi ed edible oils and consumption rate in rural (11.8%) and slum (10.2%) areas were poorer than urban (53.5%) and semi-urban (24.4%) areas. Consumption rate of vitamin A fortifi ed rice was found nil in all the study areas. Lack of knowledge about vitamin A fortifi ed rice and oils accounted solely for poor consumption. Knowledge level about vitamin A fortifi ed edible oils and rice and consumption rate were found statistically signifi cantly (pϽ0.05) with participant's place of residences, education level and monthly income. Finally, this study indicates that the overall knowledge level and consumption rate of vitamin A fortifi ed edible oils and rice is poor especially in rural and slum populations in Tangail Sadar Upazila.
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