Gender Differences in Nutritional Status Among Adolescents Living with Family in Selected Slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh: A Mixed-Method Study.

Introduction: Nutritional vulnerability of adolescents living in slums is more compare to general adolescents. Adolescent girls are disproportionately impacted by nutritional deficiency due to gender norms, many adolescent boys are malnourished as well. This study sought to assess gender differences in nutritional status among adolescents living with family in selected slums of Bangladesh. Methods: The study used cross-sectional design with mixed method approach. Male and female adolescents between 10 to 19 years living in the Bauniabadh slum and 'Ta' Block Jhil Par slum of Dhaka were study population. Quantitative data was collected through pre -tested structured Bangla questionnaire by household survey of 115 adolescents. Qualitative interviews were sought through 12 In-depth interviews. BMI was categorized and 24-hour dietary recall was used to obtain dietary information by dietary diversity score. Results: Around 40.0% male adolescents and 46.6% female adolescents were underweight. Approximately 5% male adolescents and 3.4% female adolescents were overweight. Almost 67% male adolescents and 63.8% female adolescents had lowest dietary diversity score. One-fourth of male adolescents and 36.2% female adolescents had medium dietary diversity Score. There is observed association between sex of respondents and eating vegetables, and eating fish (p<0.05). Dietary behavior and eating more foods for female adolescents had significant observed association with sex of respondents (p<0.05). The qualitative result revealed that females were expected to learn cooking since they had to feed other members of her in laws house. Females made food sacrifices so that other family members could eat more. Conclusion: There were gender differences in nutritional status, dietary behaviour and nutritional knowledge among male and female adolescents living with family in selected slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]