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Background: Menstrual disorders, influenced by dietary habits like high fat intake and low fruit and vegetable consumption, are a global public health issue. This study assessed the prevalence of dysmenorrhea, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and irregular menstrual cycle (IMC) among female university students in Bangladesh, focusing on food cravings and low vitamin A intake as risk factors. Methods: In this comprehensive study, data from randomly selected female university students were collected using a structured questionnaire. The associations were analyzed through chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression, reported as adjusted odds ratios (AOR). Results: The most prevalent menstrual disorder was dysmenorrhea (68.3%) followed by PMS (33.8%), and IMC (24.3%). Food cravers for high-fat and sweet foods were likely to experience dysmenorrhea (AOR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.5–3.9, P<0.001), suffer from PMS (AOR: 3.9, 95% CI: 2.3–6.6, P<0.001), and have IMC (AOR: 3.0, 95% CI: 1.6–5.3, P<0.001) vs. subjects who didn't. Subjects consuming vitamin A-rich plant foods had 40% (AOR: 0.6, 95% CI: 0.4–0.9, P < 0.01) and 60% (AOR: 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2–0.6, P<0.001) less likely suffering from dysmenorrhea and IMC vs. who didn't. Both underweight and overweight/obese subjects experienced more than 2-fold dysmenorrhea vs. normal-weight peers. The chance of IMC was nearly 3-fold among overweight/obese subjects. However, lower physical activity was associated with PMS and IMC whereas family history was associated with dysmenorrhea and PMS. Among the socio-demographic factors, maternal education, place of residence, and earlier menarche (≤12 years) were associated with dysmenorrhea while marital status was associated with IMC. Conclusion: This study indicates that increasing the intake of vitamin A-rich plant foods and reducing high-fat, sweet foods can lower the risk of dysmenorrhea and IMC. Additionally, it highlights the need for regular exercise to mitigate the increased risk of PMS and IMC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence and impact of antibiotic-resistant pathogens transmitted through food, particularly street-vended foods, is becoming a major public health concern. Although a significant proportion of the urban population in developing countries consumes street-vended foods, the role of these foods in spreading antibiotic resistance has been rarely investigated. In this study, 50 bacterial isolates were obtained from 25 samples representing five categories of street-vended foods: Phuchka, Chatpati, Sausage, Bun, and Salad. The IMVIC test revealed a notably high occurrence of Escherichia coli (n=32) within the collected samples. Three representative isolates were selected for molecular identification using DNA sequencing of 16S rDNA. They were identified as Klebsiella oxytoca, Burkholderia fungorum, and Serratia nematodiphila. The antibiotic susceptibility of the identified isolates (n=35) was investigated using twelve antibiotics following the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Around 65.63% of the E. coli isolates (n=21) exhibited multidrug resistance. Double Disc Synergy Test (DDST) and Phenotypic Confirmatory Disk Diffusion Test (PCDDT) confirmed ESBL production of Eight multidrugresistant E. coli isolates (38.09%). The multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index showed that 22 E. coli isolates had MAR above 0.2, with resistance mostly against oxacillin, ampicillin, and cefuroxime. The Klebsiella oxytoca isolate showed multidrug resistance viz., ampicillin, oxacillin, cefuroxime, and kanamycin. The Burkholderia fungorum isolate showed no distinct inhibition zone against ampicillin and chloramphenicol. Additionally, the Serratia nematodiphila isolate showed no distinct inhibition zone against three antibiotics, including ampicillin, oxacillin, and cefuroxime. These findings might contribute to the knowledge of emerging antibioticresistant foodborne pathogens and raise concerns about the safety of street-vended foods in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]