Household coverage of vitamin A fortification of edible oil in Bangladesh

PLoS One. 2019 Apr 3;14(4):e0212257. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212257. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Mandatory fortification of edible oil (soybean and palm) with vitamin A was decreed in Bangladesh in 2013. Yet, there is a dearth of data on the availability and consumption of vitamin A fortifiable oil at household level across population sub-groups. To fill this gap, our study used a nationally representative survey in Bangladesh to assess the purchase of fortifiable edible oil among households and project potential vitamin A intake across population sub-groups. Data is presented by strata, age range and poverty-the factors that potentially influence oil coverage. Across 1,512 households, purchase of commercially produced fortifiable edible oil was high (87.5%). Urban households were more likely to purchase fortifiable oil (94.0%) than households in rural low performing (79.7%) and rural other strata (88.1%) (p value: 0.01). Households in poverty were less likely to purchase fortifiable oil (82.1%) than households not in poverty (91.4%) (p <0.001). Projected estimates suggested that vitamin A fortified edible oil would at least partially meet daily vitamin A estimated average requirement (EAR) for the majority of the population. However, certain population sub-groups may still have vitamin A intake below the EAR and alternative strategies may be applied to address the vitamin A needs of these vulnerable sub-groups. This study concludes that a high percentage of Bangladeshi population across different sub-groups have access to fortifiable edible oil and further provides evidence to support mandatory edible oil fortification with vitamin A in Bangladesh.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Bangladesh
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Diet Surveys / economics
  • Diet Surveys / statistics & numerical data
  • Family Characteristics
  • Female
  • Food, Fortified / economics
  • Food, Fortified / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nutrition Policy*
  • Palm Oil / administration & dosage
  • Palm Oil / economics
  • Poverty / economics
  • Poverty / statistics & numerical data
  • Recommended Dietary Allowances*
  • Rural Population / statistics & numerical data
  • Soybean Oil / administration & dosage
  • Soybean Oil / economics
  • Urban Population / statistics & numerical data
  • Vitamin A / administration & dosage*
  • Vitamin A Deficiency / prevention & control*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Vitamin A
  • Palm Oil
  • Soybean Oil

Grants and funding

Funding for this research was provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (http://www.gatesfoundation.org) to GAIN. The funding covered the costs of implementing the research only. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.