Fragile Environment, Seasonality and Undernutrition in Bangladesh

Abstract

Undernutrition among mothers and children remains one of the main public health challenges of the 21st century, particularly in low and middle-income countries (Victora et al., 2010). The causes of malnutrition are directly related to inadequate dietary intake as well as disease, though many factors contribute to the indirect causes. While most nutrition interventions are delivered through the health sector, non-health interventions can also be crucial. Availability of, and access to, sufficient nutritious food produced in the agricultural sector at the national and household level are among such factors. Agricultural growth and the diversity of food production and consumption thus assume importance as drivers of good nutrition which are in turn affected by seasonal differences and the ecological environment.