Study on Association between Socio-demographic Characteristics and Food Security of Rural Adolescent Population of Bangladesh

DOI: https://doi.org/10.70357/jdamc.2019.v0302.05

Jahan I1 , Tarafdar MA2

Abstract

This was a descriptive type of cross-sectional study carried out to assess the relationship between food security and socio-demographic characteristics of adolescent of the rural areas with a sample size of 108. Data were collected purposively fromtwo selected villages using a semi structured questionnaire. On the basis of the score calculated, household food security wasleveled as four categories: Food Secured, Mild food insecured, Moderate food insecured and extremely food insecured. Theresult shows that about 40% of the adolescents are Moderate food insecured. 31.5% adolescents were from extremely foodinsecured families. 18.5% respondents were from mild food insecured families and only 10.2 % respondents were from foodsecured families. Maximum of the respondents were from the age group of 15-16 years (31.5%).Mean ±SD = 14.54 ± 2.12years. 64 % were male and 36% were female. Most of them were (81.5%) Muslim; 48.1% respondents were from familieshaving monthly income 5000 to 8000 taka and 28.7% of them have more than 8000 taka income per month with Mean(±SD)income of 7245(±2126.27) taka. About 44.4 % of the respondents' had 5 members in families and 39.8% had 4 or less. Sixtypercent had nuclear families; 46.3% of the respondents having primary level of education, followed by secondary level(32.4%). About 13.9% were illiterate, 72.2% attained their education from formal system, 11.1% from madrasa and 2.8% hadnon-formal education. Respondents were mainly students (75.9%). About 11.1%were agricultural workers. Most of therespondents were children of daily labours/rikshaw pullers (36.1%) followed by Farmers (24.1%) and Business men (21.3%);while 18.5 % of the respondents' fathers were service holders. Regarding housing condition about 42.6% respondents live inkacha houses followed by semi-pacca(28.7%) and 25.9% of them had tin-shed houses. Three fourth (75.9%) of the respondentswere non- smokers. About 97.2% used tube well water for drinking purpose. Two third of the respondents (66.7%) usedsanitary latrine. There is a strong association between household food security level and monthly family income (p<0.01),house type where the respondents live (p<0.01) and fathers' occupation (p<0.05). There is no association between respondents'age and their food security level, family size and household food security level, education level of respondents, occupation ofrespondents. The present study shows that economic condition of the respondents is the main factor for adolescent foodsecurity which should be address in the formulation of programs relating to food security.

Keywords: Adolescents, Socio-demographic characteristics, Food security


  1. Medical Officer

    Dhaka CMH

  2. Professor, Department of Community Medicine

    Z H Sikder Women's Medical College, Dhaka


Volume 3, Number 2 July 2019
Page: 26-34