In a new study, researchers have determined that ninety percent of older persons in rural Bangladesh displayed risk for malnutrition.
The results, which are part of a larger international study, challenge the Millenium Development Goals.To reach the goals outlined by United Nations in the Millenium Development Goals, for example, to reduce malnutrition by half by 2015, these are important findings to consider in order to design adequate measures in low income countries, according to Tamanna Ferdous from Uppsala University, who is the author of the study.
Malnutrition is one of the major health related problems in Bangladesh. The prevalence of malnutrition in Bangladesh is among the highest in the world.
According to the recent Human Development Report, approximately one third of the population in Bangladesh is undernourished.
Research and public health activities are yet largely focused on nutritional aspects related to children and maternity.
As the world's older population is growing dramatically in most of the low-income countries, it is expected that Bangladesh, with a projected 14 million older people, will be one of the 10 nations with the largest older population by 2020, according to Ferdous.
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It shows that the prevalence of malnutrition is alarmingly high (90 percent) among older persons who are living in their own house in a rural setting in Bangladesh.
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However, factors such as socio-economic conditions, education are also associated with malnutrition in this population.
The study shows that people who are malnourished suffer from limitations in performing every day physical functions and are also slower in cognitive functions.
Source-ANI
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