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Nutritional status of children is a momentous issue across the world. Children are mostly suffering from various infectious diseases, which are ensuing through malnutrition or incommensurable nutritional requirement of children. Household food security, caring practice for women and children, health environment and services and infectious diseases are the major cause of mortality particularly in children in many developing countries. The findings of the review clearly relate malnutrition, which is one of the most underlying causes of infectious diseases among children and existing evidence shows that the prevalence of under-nutrition and other forms of malnutrition among under-five children was high and they are easily affected by infectious disease such as diarrhea, measles, malaria, acute respiratory infection etc.A well-designed social protection system has great potential to improve malnutrition in Bangladesh. The international and domestic evidence presented in this review clearly demonstrates the importance of an integrated approach to tackling malnutrition in Bangladesh. Severe wasting may be reduced by simply improving food intake but tackling chronic malnutrition requires integrated social protection programmes. Programmes that have effectively reduced stunting and wasting have also addressed many of the underlying causes of malnutrition, including improving household food security and the health environment. Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. June 2019, 5(4): 237-245

Due to inadequate regulatory mechanisms, the accuracy of the self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) devices is not ensured leading to potentially serious clinical consequences in Bangladesh. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the technical accuracy of ten most commonly used SMBG devices marketed in Dhaka City of Bangladesh. Top ten SMBG devices sold in Dhaka City were studied on a group of 100 type 2 diabetes mellitus subjects. Blood glucose values estimated (at fasting and 2 h after breakfast) by SMBG devices, using a blinding technique, were compared with the corresponding laboratory values by enzymatic method using the Dimension RXLMax automated chemistry analyzer. Hematocrit was measured using the Sysmex XT 2000 hematology autoanalyzer. The mean absolute relative error (MARE, %) was used as an indicator of accuracy and precision together. A highly significant correlation was observed between the device and laboratory values. However, none of the devices showed an acceptable accuracy at 5–10% deviation from the corresponding laboratory values either at fasting or postprandial states. On pooling together data from two prandial states, even at 15% deviation limits, 70% of the devices failed to show accurate results. On calculation of MARE, 60% devices were found to be beyond 15% error limit at 95% accuracy level. Corresponding analysis with 90% accuracy level showed 30% beyond the limit. Blood glucose results from around 30% of the top ten SMBG devices sold in Dhaka City do not have even minimum level of technical accuracy, and many others are not optimum in their accuracy levels.

Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose (SMBG) Devices are now thought to be an integral component in the prevention and management of diabetes mellitus which is increasingly becoming a major health and economic burden particularly in developing countries. The marketing of these Devices, however, are still not well regulated in most of the countries and this, in turn, may lead to more harm than good to the patients who are using these devices. Retailers are the most important contact points who create the interface among the Manufacturers, Professionals and Consumers for popularization of health related devices. In this study, the Users' Choice of SMBG Devices and its determinants, as reflected in the views of the Sales Persons (in a retail shop) in Dhaka City of Bangladesh, have been explored. Twenty Sales Persons from 20 Retail Shops, purposively selected from among major Dhaka City markets where these devices are commonly sold, were individually interviewed using a pretested Interviewer administered Questionnaire. The instrument consisted of six questions covering the Users' preference regarding quality vs cost and also regarding the guidance and motives for purchasing specific items. The results were analyzed by descriptive statistics. It was found that 90% of the consumers are dependent on the suggestions of the Sales Persons regarding the choice of devices. In 80% of the subjects the cost of the System was found to be the determining factor regarding the choice of a meter. Only among 20% subjects, quality played any role in the choice. In conclusion, the choice of specific SMBG devices in Dhaka City is overwhelmingly influenced by Retailers (who, in most cases are not even qualified Pharmacists or Pharmacy Assistants) and, except in few cases; Users are not concerned with quality. Price, particularly the price of the strip, is the dominant factor on Users' choice of SMBG Devices. Bangladesh J Med Biochem 2018; 11(1): 17-21

Aims The aim was to find out the proportion of Self-monitoring of Blood Glucose (SMBG) Users and factors affecting the nonuse in three large hospitals of Dhaka city. Methods Under an observational cross-sectional design 598 type 2 diabetic subjects were recruited (convenient sampling) from the OPDs of 3 large tertiary care hospitals [one public hospital (PUBH), one Not-for-profit Hospital (NFPPH), and one For-profit private hospital (FPPH)] in Dhaka City. Data were analyzed by both univariate and multivariate analysis as appropriate. Results Overall 71% of subjects were SMBG Nonusers (PUBH 86%, NFPPH 67%, and FPPH 46%). Monthly income status and advice showed the highest impact (OR 4.66 and 3.74 respectively) on the use. Physicians (54%), relatives (34%), and friends (8.2%) were the major sources of advice. Irregular diabetes check-up and distrust of results were also among the major reasons for not using SMBG among the Nonusers. Conclusion Nearly three-fourth of type 2 diabetic patients in Dhaka city do not use SMBG and the proportion is especially high in public hospitals. Poor income status of patients, lack of coordinated advice/motivation by Caregivers, irregularity in diabetes checking, and distrust on results are major predictors for not using SMBG by the patients., Type 2 DM, Monitoring glycemic status, Self blood glucose monitoring, Home blood glucose monitoring, SMBG, SMBG nonuse predictors.