SYNOPSIS OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH PROJECT

FOR THE NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (NST) FELLOWSHIP, 2025-26

1. Introduction
Food insecurity represents a critical threat to child survival, growth, and development, particularly during the
complementary feeding period when children aged 6-23 months are most vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies
[1]. Food insecurity among children aged 6-23 months in Bangladesh represents a critical public health
concern that demands urgent research attention [2]. The 6-23 month age group constitutes a critical window
for child development; where proper nutrition is fundamental for growth, cognitive development, and long-
term health outcomes [2]. Research demonstrates that 36.3% of children aged 6-23 months in Bangladesh
experience household food insecurity [2], while two-thirds of children under five face child food poverty [3].
This alarming prevalence, combined with 23.6% of children under five being stunted and 11.0% being wasted
[3], establishes the urgent need for comprehensive research on food insecurity predictors in this vulnerable
population [4].
The topic is aligned with Bangladesh’s national nutrition policies, which emphasize the first 1,000 days of life
as a critical intervention period [5][6]. It also supports SDG 2.2, aiming to end malnutrition among children
under five by 2030 [7][8]. Despite the recognized burden of food insecurity, limited research exists that
focuses specifically on the 6–23-month age group using validated tools. The Food Insecurity Experience Scale
(FIES) has already been validated for use in rural Bangladesh [9], and the recent development of the Early
Childhood FIES (EC-FIES) by UNICEF provides an even more targeted approach to measuring food
insecurity among young children [10]. By investigating both the prevalence and the predictors of food
insecurity among children aged 6–23 months in Bangladesh, this study seeks to fill critical evidence gaps and
support the design of effective, context-specific interventions.
2. Objectives of the study
2.1 General objective
2.2 Specific objectives
 To estimate the national and regional prevalence of food insecurity among children aged 6–23
months in Bangladesh
 To examine the characteristics of households with food-insecure children
 To identify key predictors of food insecurity among children aged 6–23 months
 To assess the association between food insecurity and child feeding practices
 To recommend context-specific interventions and policies
3. Methodology
This rapid assessment will apply a cross-sectional study design to collect quantitative data on the diets of
children aged 6-23 months and the barriers experienced by the mothers in feeding nutritious diets to these
children.
3.1 Study area and population
Data will be collected from 25 upazillas from 8 randomly selected districts of 8 divisions. Quantitative data
on sociodemographic characteristics, household income and expenditure, minimum dietary diversity and
barriers to feeding children will be collected from the mothers of children aged 6-23 months.
3.2 Sample size calculation
Health related congregation sites of upazila will serve as primary sampling unit which will be drawn by a
stratified multistage random sampling. From these congregation sites, mothers of 6-23 months old children
will be chosen by convenience sampling.
Table 1: Design matrix
Division Total Upazila Interview with mothers

1
 1 Dhaka 4 64
2 Sylhet 3 48
3 Rajshahi 3 48
4 Mymensingh 3 48
5 Chattogram 3 48
6 Khulna 3 48
7 Barishal 3 48
8 Rangpur 3 48
Total 25 400
3.3 Data Collection
3.3.1 Childhood Food Insecurity Data: Childhood food insecurity will be assessed using the Early
Childhood Food Insecurity Experience Scale (EC-FIES), developed by UNICEF in 2025 to measure food
access challenges among 6–23-month-old children. The tool includes eight standardized questions and is
validated for use in low- and middle-income countries like Bangladesh.
3.3.2 Sociodemographic data: Participants will be administered a semi-structured questionnaire comprising
a series of questions to gather sociodemographic data, including age, gender, education level, income, and
other relevant information.
3.3.3 Complementary Feeding Practices: Assessment of complementary feeding practices will follow
WHO/UNICEF indicators: Minimum Dietary Diversity, Minimum Meal Frequency, Minimum Acceptable
Diet ,Consumption of iron-rich foods.
3.4 Data Analysis
Different types of descriptive and inferential statistics will be perforrned with the quantitative data using
SPSS version 26. Parametric tests will be performed for normal data and for non-normal data nonparametric
tests will be performed.
3.5 Ethical approval
All the required ethical approvals will be obtained from the appropriate ethics review board and all
participants will provide informed consent before participating in the study.
4. Operational Planning
2024-25

Activities Months

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Inception Preparation

Literature Review

Methodology Preparation

Enumerator Recruitment

Enumerator Training

Data Collection

Data Cleaning & Analysis

Thesis Writing

Dissemination

2
 5. Socioeconomic Importance of the Proposed Research
This study addresses critical knowledge gaps in understanding food insecurity among the most vulnerable
population children aged 6-23 months in Bangladesh. Results will inform evidence-based policy
interventions targeting child food insecurity, supporting Bangladesh's commitment to achieving Sustainable
Development Goals 2 (Zero Hunger) and 3 (Good Health and Well-being). This study will be among the first
to validate and apply the newly developed EC-FIES tool in the Bangladeshi context, contributing to the
global evidence base for food insecurity measurement tools. By identifying barriers to food security and
understanding the magnitude of the problem, the study will contribute to improving child health outcomes
and reducing malnutrition in Bangladesh .
References:

[1] S. K. Mistry et al., “Trends in Complementary Feeding Indicators and Intake from Specific Food Groups among Children Aged
6–23 Months in Bangladesh,” Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, vol. 19, no. 1, Jan. 2022, doi: 10.3390/IJERPH19010550,.

[2] World Health Organization, WHO guideline for complementary feeding of infants and young children 6–23 months of age .
2023. [Online]. Available: https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/373358/9789240081864-eng.pdf?sequence=1

[3] “2 in 3 children under five in Bangladesh face child food poverty - UNICEF | United Nations in Bangladesh.” Accessed: Jul.
10, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://bangladesh.un.org/en/271115-2-3-children-under-five-bangladesh-face-child-food-
poverty-unicef

[4] M. R. K. Chowdhury et al., “Does household food insecurity influence nutritional practice of children age 6 to 23 months in
Bangladesh?,” South East Asia J. Public Heal., vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 53–60, 2017, doi: 10.3329/seajph.v6i2.31836.

[5] M. Report, N. Council, and F. Welfare, “Second National Plan of”.

[6] MHFW, “Second National Plan of Action for Nutrition (2016-2025),” Minist. Heal. Fam. Welf., no. August, 2017, [Online].
Available: https://bnnc.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/bnnc.portal.gov.bd/download/
ddabde0d_3bfc_4e05_92fe_8ef33a73a235/2019-12-15-13-55-3e877e2d46e08834d7e1353cd4b86ffb.pdf

[7] “SDG2 and Bangladesh: progress, challenges and Way forward.” Accessed: Jul. 10, 2025. [Online]. Available:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/sdg2-bangladesh-progress-challenges-way-forward-antoni-barikdar

[8] “Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger | United Nations in Bangladesh.” Accessed: Jul. 10, 2025. [Online]. Available:
https://bangladesh.un.org/en/sdgs/2

[9] A. Jubayer, S. Islam, A. Nowar, M. M. Nayan, and M. H. Islam, “Validity of Food insecurity experience scale (FIES) for use in
rural Bangladesh and prevalence and determinants of household food insecurity: An analysis of data from Bangladesh
integrated household survey (BIHS) 2018-2019,” Heliyon, vol. 9, no. 6, Jun. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17378.

[10] UNICEF, “Early Childhood Food Insecurity Experience Scale (EC-FIES) | Child Nutrition and Development,” 2024. Accessed:
Jul. 08, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://knowledge.unicef.org/child-nutrition-and-development/resource/ec-fies

Signature of the Supervisor Signature of the Applicant