Life In Bangladesh Research Articles

Recipe for Identity

The placement of recipes in a food memoir serves the unique function of contextualising a life story against culture, tradition, and history. They serve as a form of self-expression that looks at life in its entirety through an amalgamation of the material and abstract aspects of existence. For women in the diaspora, recipes not only enable them to maintain a link to the homeland through the preservation and perpetuation of foodways but also serve as a medium to adapt to the new country. Bengali-American historian and writer Chitrita Banerji’s A Taste of My Life: A Memoir in Essays and Recipes (2021) is structured as a three-course meal and uses recipes to frame liminal moments of existence. The food memoir traces the arc of Banerji’s life over seven decades—from her childhood in India, to her student life in the US, followed by married life in Bangladesh and culminates with her mature years spent dividing her time between the US and India. Banerji reconstructs her life through the food that has defined her with the recipes providing a structure for her transnational life that spans years and continents; they provide unity and coherence across space and time. This paper argues that the inclusion of recipes helps Banerji in constructing an identity that takes the whole gamut of her experiences into account. The recipes show her journey from dislocation to relocation and provide the scaffolding for the construction of a self that is reconciled and empowered. Banerji’s recipes articulate the way in which food anchors her, provides the impetus for her growth and gives her the means to reflect on life with a certain resolve tempered with a hint of nostalgia. Through her narrative we see how a recipe borrows as well as adapts, preserves as well as modifies. There is replication as well as recreation in a recipe, which is similar to a diaspora individual balancing assimilation with adaptation. Every recipe reveals a new facet of her identity and is crucial in her understanding of the self in relation to others.

Confronting Anxiety in the Era of COVID-19: Investigating the Prevalence and Impact on Daily Life in Bangladesh

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented stress levels and has significantly impacted daily life activities, including changes in food patterns, sleep disturbances, and reduced physical activity. This survey study aims to analyze the pervasiveness of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) among Bangladeshi adults and its association with daily life activities. Methods: A randomized phone number generator was utilized to approach 1438 individuals aged 18 and above, out of which 412 participants volunteered for the study. Participants' anxiety level was estimated by using the GAD-7 score. Results: Out of the 412 respondents, 11.89% experienced severe anxiety, while 17.72% and 39.32% suffered moderate and mild anxiety, respectively. Severe anxiety was more prevalent among women (16%) than men (9.54%). The study found that sleeping for less than eight hours was associated with an increased likelihood of severe anxiety (OR = 4.87), while fewer changes in food habits (OR = 0.27), less online exposure (OR = 0.01), and engaging in some physical activity (OR = 0.20) were associated with the reduced likelihood of anxiety. Conclusion: This survey study highlights to give more emphasis of monitoring anxiety during a public health emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of this study establish a significant correlation between GAD and everyday life activities, emphasizing the need to prioritize mental health initiatives during such unprecedented times. Bioresearch Commu. 10(1): 1378-1385, 2024 (January)

Early-life exposure to unimproved sanitation and delayed school enrollment: Evidence from Bangladesh

Exposure to environmental stressors during early childhood can significantly impact a child’s development and educational outcomes. In this paper, we examine the effects of exposure to unimproved sanitation in the surrounding environment during early childhood on primary school enrollment later in life in Bangladesh between 2007 and 2014. While Bangladesh has made significant progress towards eradicating open defecation, the country still suffers from inadequate access to improved sanitation. Additionally, although policies aiming at improving primary school enrollment have been in place since the 1990s, many children of school age were not enrolled at the appropriate time during the period studied. Using a pseudo-panel dataset for children aged six to nine compiled from the 2007, 2011, and 2014 DHS surveys, we find that children exposed to a higher proportion of unimproved sanitation in their community early in their life are less likely to be enrolled in primary school at the time of survey by about five percentage points on average, indicating delayed school enrollment. This effect is more pronounced for children aged six and seven than those eight and nine, likely because parents of children experiencing poor health or cognitive development delay enrolling their children in school until they are slightly older or healthier. Our results are robust to potential omitted variable biases and are further supported by additional analyses on matched samples. Taken all together, our findings highlight that increasing coverage of improved sanitation facilities can help improve school enrollment rates. However, this should not only occur at the household level alone but also should extend to cover all households in the community to ensure achieving maximum benefits. The findings indicate that the provision of safer sanitation facilities is not only good by itself but also is crucial for achieving improvements throughout the human capital development cycle, including health and nutrition, as well as education.

THE AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN DHAKA (BANGLADESH) URBAN AREA: A GENDER PERSPECTIVE

Growth efforts and the growing population have been creating an adverse impact on our bio-diversity therefore human health is at higher risk, and human civilization came closer to a severe Environmental crisis. Impacts of environmental degradation especially of air and water pollution have been severe and challenging in Bangladesh, and generally, city dwellers face higher pollution levels than rural residents in their everyday lives. The broad aim of this study is to assess the environmental awareness level of the population of Dhaka city. Based on both primary and secondary data, the study reveals a huge lack of awareness of environmental challenges and the necessity of handling these concerns with appropriate initiatives. Gender perspective reveals women’s potential areas of contribution to handling environmental challenges. Both men and women need to be brought under strategic environmental awareness and education programs for sustainable and healthy urban life in Bangladesh, the study concludes.

Early Initiation of Breastfeeding (EIBF) and Its Associated Factors Among Mothers With Infants Aged 0 to 6 Months in Jashore District, Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective Early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) is one of the most successful interventions for minimizing newborn morbidity and death. According to the database (Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey 2014), only around half of babies begin breastfeeding during the first hour of life in Bangladesh. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of EIBF in the Jashore area while also investigating its associated factors among mothers of infants aged 0 to 6 months in order to better understand the variables that impacted breastfeeding initiation. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted in the maternity wards of the 3 busiest hospitals in the Jashore district of Bangladesh from May to July 2019. Using random sampling, a total of 423 mother–infant pairs were chosen. Pearson chi-square test and bivariable and multivariable logistic regression statistical analysis were used to identify factors linked to EIBF. Results The prevalence of EIBF was 46.3% (196/423). Mothers who had skin-to-skin contact after delivery (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.25; 95% confidential interval [CI], 1.40–3.59), who did not deliver prelacteal food (AOR, 3.68; 95% CI, 1.65–8.21), and who provided colostrum (AOR, 5.89; 95% CI, 1.62–21.49) were more likely to begin breastfeeding within 1 hour than were their counterparts. Conclusions EIBF was found to be strongly linked with skin-to-skin contact after delivery, avoidance of prelacteal feeding, and colostrum feeding practice. As a result, we strongly urge public health officials and health care practitioners to encourage these feeding behaviors in order to increase EIBF.

A Critical Analysis of the Right to Equality of the Hermaphrodites in Bangladesh: Rights Based Approach

‘Right to equality’ is the crucial right of every human being, well-recognized in the international instruments and in the national constitutions of a plethora of countries including Bangladesh. Against that backdrop, Hermaphrodites, popularly known as ‘Hijras’, being born as human as well as being citizens of this country are franchised to the ‘right to equality, as they got sanctioned by the Government of Bangladesh in 2013. Notwithstanding that, it is regrettably perceived that the current status of the right to equality of the Hijra populace is not even close to a decent scenario, especially with regard to education, employment and inheritance; rather they are living a horrendous life in Bangladesh. The policy-makers do not seem to be concerned about their plight. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to traverse into the extent of actualization of the right to equality of this group with regard to education, employment, and inheritance, to discern the impediments in the way of materializing these rights, and to put forward a number of recommendations to ameliorate the scenario in order to place them with the common mass on the basis of proportionate equality regarding these rights. For this research, several research questions have been investigated. With a view to exploring the answers, a qualitative approach has been adopted and secondary data have been accumulated from diverse sources including books, research articles, newspaper articles, published interviews, focused group discussions, questionnaires, internet sources, etc.

Effects of spousal migration on access to healthcare for women left behind: A cross-sectional follow-up study.

BackgroundWomen left behind by migration represent a unique and growing population yet remain understudied as key players in the context of migration and development. Using a unique longitudinal survey of life in Bangladesh, the Matlab Health and Socioeconomic Surveys, we examined the role of spousal migration in healthcare utilization for women. The objective of this study was to assess realized access to care (do women actually get healthcare when it is needed) and consider specific macrostructural, predisposing, and resource barriers to care that are related to migration.Methods and findingsIn a sample of 3,187 currently married women, we estimated multivariate logistic and multinomial regression models controlling for a wide range of baseline sociodemographic factors measured as far back as 1982. Our analyses also controlled for selection effects and explored two mechanisms through which spousal migration can affect healthcare utilization for women, remittances and frequent contact with spouses. We found that women with migrant spouses were approximately half as likely to lack needed healthcare compared to women whose spouses remained in Bangladesh (predicted probability of not getting needed healthcare 11.7% vs. 21.8%, p<0.001). The improvements in access (logistic regression coefficient for lacking care for left-behind women -0.761 p<0.01) primarily occurred through a reduction in financial barriers to care for women whose spouses were abroad.ConclusionsWives of international migrants showed significantly better access to healthcare even when accounting for selection into a migrant family. While the overall story is one of positive migration effects on healthcare access due to reductions in financial barriers to care, results also showed an increase in family-related barriers such as not being permitted to get care by a family member or travel alone to a facility, indicating that some of the benefits of migration for women left behind may be diluted by gendered family structures.

The Influence of Atopic Dermatitis on Health-Related Quality of Life in Bangladesh.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the foremost non-fatal skin-related disease that affects all age groups. Despite the growing prevalence of AD in low- and middle-income countries, its physiological consequences remain overlooked in countries like Bangladesh. Therefore, we aim to assess and characterize the influence of AD on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Bangladeshi patients. A cross-sectional study comprising 184 eligible adults (83 men and 101 women; mean age, 33.46 ± 15.44 years) was conducted at the dermatology outpatient department of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital (a tertiary hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh). AD was determined using the UK Working Party criteria. A structured questionnaire, Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI), and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) were administered to obtain information on patient characteristics, AD severity, and HRQoL. The mean DLQI score for the entire sample was 11.29 ± 5.27 (range, 1–26), and 51.60% reported the disease greatly affected their lives. Bivariate analysis revealed significant differences in self-rated health measures of DLQI scores in terms of self-reported AD severity, overall health, and the EASI. In multivariable regression models adjusted for patient characteristics, the self-perceived severe AD group reported significantly higher DLQI scores (coefficient = 2.72; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.38–5.05; p = 0.022) than the mild group. Concurrently, we observed a substantial increase in the DLQI scores among patients with moderate and severe EASI scores (coefficient = 1.96, 95% CI = 0.08–3.92, p < 0.05 and coefficient = 4.35, 95% CI = 1.98–6.72, p < 0.001, respectively) than in those with mild EASI scores, suggesting that HRQoL was markedly influenced by greater AD severity. These findings highlight the need for a more patient-centric approach to the management of AD in order to alleviate patient suffering and, thereby, improve HRQoL.

Situation of older women living at Slum area in Dhaka City of Bangladesh

The older section of the population is increasing much faster than the total population. Older women bear a disproportionately low status in every aspects of life in Bangladesh. They have less control over their family income and family decision making. The objective of this study was to find out the situation of older women living at slum area. This is a descriptive data where data were collected from Dhaka city Bangladesh in slum area. In Bangladesh many older people spend their lives in poverty and ill health which is major risk for the elderly population. Poverty and exclusion are the greatest threats to the wellbeing of older people. They passed their very basic QoL with no proper humanitarian support. The policy maker should take the proper steps for improving their QoL as well as think about their basic rights.

Impact of COVID-19 on mental health: A quantitative analysis of anxiety and depression based on regular life and internet use.

This paper describes the psychological state of human from different ages, genders, and professions with the impact of COVID – 19 in their regular life in Bangladesh with simulated and visualized infographic images containing statistical analysis from a collected survey on real regular life which is based on their activities of regular life and internet uses. Literature has been reviewed with various COVID – 19 based psychological work and our work on psychological state, anxiety reasons, and depression scale analysis. Secondly, a process of analysis and statistical format has been described through a specific methodology diagram, which contains the collected dataset's overall data analysis process. Thirdly, a complete analysis report is given by the dataset analysis, including every specific data collected. Fourthly, a discussion based on analysis and statistical analysis with informative tables is described individually for different aspects. Finally, some unavoidable limitations are initialized with reasons though every dataset collected from real regular life and internet use impacts COVID – 19 in Bangladesh.

A deplorable community in Bangladesh: tea garden workers

PurposeThroughout history, tea garden workers are treated as slaves of employers and live an inhuman life in modern society. This paper aims to provide an account of the deplorable community (workers) of the tea garden in Bangladesh.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used a mixed-method research approach to conduct this study. In the first stage, using a semi-structured questionnaire, Focus group discussions (FGDs) were done by forming two groups from two districts to get a clear picture of the tea garden workers’ living standards in Bangladesh. Based on the findings of the FGD, the researchers prepared a structured questionnaire containing the basic elements of their quality of work life. In this stage, the authors collected the information from 200 tea workers about their quality of work life.FindingsThe major finding showed that the overall country’s economy is booming because of tea workers’ contributions, but their economic conditions gradually become impoverished. The workers’ are living with colossal poverty and vulnerability. Besides, the workers are supposed to get fundamental rights, including food, clothing, shelter, education and health, but the higher authorities were found indifferent to take the necessary initiative to implement these rights.Research limitations/implicationsThe data was collected only from the tea garden workers. This study excluded any other parties (trade union leaders, panchayats, garden managers and owners). Thus, it is suggested that the researchers should conduct a similar study covering the opinion, including all the parties.Practical implicationsBoth the workers and the higher authorities of the tea garden might benefit from this study’s findings. Workers will be more aware of their basic rights. The authorities can also prepare some effective policies to improve the overall quality of life of the tea workers.Originality/valueTo the best knowledge of the authors, this is the first study on tea garden workers’ inhuman life in Bangladesh in the entire emerald insight publishers.

Suicide after Facebook posts–An unnoticed departure of life in Bangladesh

Social networking sites have changed the concept of social interaction and communication. There is increasing evidence of using Facebook to express suicidal ideas and feelings, predominantly among young people. Here, we report a series of cases where victims committed suicide after sharing their thoughts and feelings on Facebook posts or live-streaming. In the present case series, we observed most of the victims were teenagers and young adults. Usually, this group is unwilling to share their suicidal thoughts with physicians or other family members. At the same time, they like to share those factors on Facebook or other social networking sites. So, Facebook can be a potential tool to predict and prevent such suicide cases. A better understanding and quick response to suicidal notes on Facebook can prevent many lives. The present study suggests ensuring the active participation of Facebook users in suicide prevention programs. We can work together with suicide prevention tools and strategies of social networking sites to save many unwanted departures.

Minorities among Minorities: The Case of Hindu Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh

Abstract The Rohingya community in Myanmar has been the subject of persecution and violent attacks that have forced them to flee the country and to take refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh several times in history. The latest wave of conflict-led displacement in August 2017 forced nearly a million Rohingya ethnic minorities to take refuge in Bangladesh. However, this time, a small number of Hindu Rohingya refugees also arrived in the refugee camps of Bangladesh. As they are small in number and considered insignificant by the international community, the attention on them has long been minimal. This study constitutes an exploratory research endeavour using qualitative research methodologies. It aims to reveal the main reasons behind their exodus, migration journey and refugee life in Bangladesh.

Determinants of stunting during the first 1,000 days of life in Bangladesh: A review.

Stunting is a major problem in Bangladesh, with a prevalence of 31% in 2017. The prevalence of stunting in children aged under two has reduced by only 6% since 2004. After children reach 2 years of age, the consequences of stunting become almost irreversible. This paper seeks to examine and analyze the determinants associated with stunting during the first 1,000 days of life in Bangladesh to assist in developing evidence‐based interventions in Bangladesh. A literature review was conducted comprehensively on all relevant peer‐reviewed and gray literature of studies conducted in Bangladesh. The existing literature was searched and examined using the World Health Organization (WHO) conceptual framework for stunting. Evidence indicates that low maternal weight, lack of maternal education, severe food insecurity, lack of access to suitable nutrition, nonexclusive breastfeeding, pathogen‐specific diarrhea, and low weight and height at birth are associated with early childhood stunting in Bangladesh. The relation of the quality of drinking water with stunting is not clear in Bangladesh. Literature about the association between stunting and determinants such as the political economy, education systems, and agriculture and food systems is not found. This synthesis shows that the factors of stunting are multifaceted. As such, a multi‐sectoral approach is essential in Bangladesh, employing evidence‐based interventions to address the determinants that contribute to the risk of stunting to achieve the global nutrition target by 2025.

Rural-to-Urban Migration and Realization of Expected Better Life in Bangladesh: An Empirical Study in Rajshahi City Corporation

Rural-urban migration is a natural process by which migrants migrate from less developed places of origin to more developed destinations in search of a better quality of life. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the realization of an expected better life and to recognize the determinants that are considered helpful in achieving a better life for migrants in Bangladesh that contribute significantly. A cross-sectional sample survey was conducted on the households of the migrants selected using a three-stage cluster sampling technique to obtain the information necessary for the study. The results suggest that it was the pull factors that motivated more than two-thirds of migrants to move from rural to urban areas. Nearly 95 per cent of migrants migrated to destination areas in search of a better life. Realizing a better quality of life was associated statistically significantly with income, occupation, educational qualification, accessibility to health care services, transportation system, and housing facilities in the places of destination. The logistic regression analysis showed that the realization of a better life was more in migrants engaged in service, who belonged to the higher-income groups (more than BDT 15000 per month), who had easy access to specialist health care physicians/hospitals, and who lived close to supportive, highly committed to social welfare, and disciplined neighbors. So, a desirable combination of these supporting components may help migrants achieve their better life goals.

Telecom Industry Brand Image and the Extended Service Marketing Ps: A Study on Private University Students of Rajshahi

Marketing always looks forward to making consumers delighted. Mobile telecom service provided a pace in daily life in Bangladesh. It plays a vital role in all the dimensions of our life. The prime objective of the study is to measure the influence of people, process, and physical evidence on brand image in the mobile telecom industry at Rajshahi metropolitan area in Bangladesh. One hundred fifty samples drawn from the students of two private universities using a convenient sampling technique. A structured questionnaire used for the survey. The findings of this study represent that all the null hypotheses rejected; there is a significant relationship between three extended service marketing and brand image in the mobile telecom industry. The researcher believes that this study would help strategy planners of mobile telecom service operators in Bangladesh to study people, process, and physical evidence with keen interest to blend service marketing mix and create and increase brand image as well as open more research relating to this ground. This finding may help different mobile telecom operators in Bangladesh to improve their focus regarding the efficient use of service marketing mix.&#x0D;

Breastfeeding termination and its determinants in Bangladesh: current status data modelling

ABSTRACT Breastfeeding duration has been linked to maternal and child health. Current-status (or interval-censored) data offers a more reliable measure of duration and cessation of breastfeeding than approaches that rely on recall, due to high percentage of ‘heaping’. The present study explores the determinants of breastfeeding termination within the first three years of life in Bangladesh using the Cox proportional hazards model. Data were drawn from two rounds of the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys 2011 and 2014. Results showed that secondary or higher educated mothers (hazard ratio, [HR] 1.7), mothers from wealthier families (HR 1.4), and relatively over-nourished mothers (HR 1.2) were at higher risk of breastfeeding termination. Breastfeeding termination was also associated with contraceptive use, exposure to family planning programme in media and place of residence. Pooled data also suggests that early breastfeeding termination is increasing in Bangladesh. The findings have implications for policy makers in shaping public information campaigns on breastfeeding.

Effect of elimination of diseases on expectation of life in Bangladesh

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the trend of life expectancy in Bangladesh and find the effect of eliminating the causes of diseases on life expectancy statistics. Design/methodology/approach Data consisted of 1,530 deaths in 2000, 1,582 deaths in 2004 and 1,514 deaths in 2008 that were collected from the Health and Demographic Surveillance System of International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh. Trends in life expectancy after eliminating the cause of diseases were examined by a Single Decrement Life table. Findings The expectation of life for both male and female presented differing patterns. Results showed that life expectancies were greatly reduced in the presence of all groups of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the community, whilst life expectancies were significantly improved if all NCDs within all disease groups were completely eliminated. The life expectancies in the presence of NCDs showed lowest expected years among all the present diseases groups and the life expectancies eliminating NCDs showed highest expected years among all the eliminating diseases groups. The results indicated that 10.99 years of life would be added to life expectancy at birth for the male population and 8.82 years for the female population in 2008 if NCDs were eliminated. Originality/value The findings of this study provide useful information which could contribute to a more effective allocation of targeted funding for developing public health programs. Lowering mortality by eliminating major groups of diseases results in higher life expectancy ratings. Specifically, the relative impacts of eliminating cardiovascular diseases and respiratory diseases, as compared with eliminating neoplasms.

Association of intestinal pathogens with faecal markers of environmental enteric dysfunction among slum-dwelling children in the first 2 years of life in Bangladesh.

ObjectiveEnvironmental Enteric Dysfunction (EED) can be assessed by faecal biomarkers such as Myeloperoxidase (MPO), Neopterin (NEO) and Alpha‐1 anti‐trypsin (AAT). We aimed to test the association of intestinal pathogens with faecal markers of EED among slum‐dwelling children in first 2 years of life.MethodsThe MAL‐ED birth cohort data of Bangladesh site were used to conduct this analysis. Multivariable analyses using Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) were performed to test the association between intestinal pathogens and faecal markers of EED.ResultsGiardiasis, ascariasis and trichuriasis were the most frequent parasitic infections and Campylobacter spp., Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) and Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) were the common bacterial pathogens observed in stool samples of the children. Overall, 71%, 97% and 58% of stool samples were above values considered normal in non‐tropical settings for MPO, NEO and AAT respectively. Giardiasis was found to be significantly associated with MPO (Coefficient = 0.55; 95% CI = 0.15, 0.95; P‐value = 0.008) and AAT concentrations (Coefficient = 0.34; 95% CI = 0.04, 0.63; P‐value = 0.03). A significant association was found between trichuriasis and NEO (Coefficient = 0.90; 95% CI = 0.19, 1.61; P‐value = 0.01). Trichuriasis (Coefficient = 1.71; 95% CI = 0.32, 3.11; P‐value = 0.02) and giardiasis (Coefficient = 1.51; 95% CI = 0.79, 2.23; P‐value <0.001) were significantly associated with EED score. Children with EAEC had significantly higher MPO concentrations (Coefficient = 0.33; 95% CI = 0.06, 0.61; P‐value = 0.02).ConclusionThe study results imply the importance of intestinal pathogens in contributing to intestinal inflammation and increased intestinal permeability in young children.

Association of Fecal Markers of Environmental Enteric Dysfunction with Zinc and Iron Status among Children at First Two Years of Life in Bangladesh.

.Environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) causes gut inflammation and increased intestinal permeability leading to deficiencies in micronutrients such as zinc and iron. Fecal markers such as myeloperoxidase (MPO), neopterin (NEO), and alpha-1-anti-trypsin (AAT) can predict EED. The aim of this study was to examine the association between fecal markers of EED with zinc and iron status among children at first 2 years of life. Malnutrition and Enteric Disease Study Bangladeshi birth cohort data were used to conduct this analysis. Multivariable analyses using generalized estimating equations were performed to test the association between individual fecal markers with zinc or iron status of the children. A total of 265 children were enrolled in the study (male:female = 1:1). Of the 627 stool samples collected (N = 222 children), 535, 511, and 577 were accompanied by zinc, ferritin, and soluble transferrin receptor values, respectively. Median (interquartile range [IQR]) values of AAT, MPO, and NEO were 0.33 (0.18–0.62) mg/g, 3,895.42 (1,563.76–8,432.82) ng/mL, and 890.81 (331.57–2,089.04) nmol/L, respectively. Overall, 60%, 71%, and 97% of samples were above the values considered normal in nontropical settings for AAT, MPO, and NEO, respectively. High AAT levels were significantly associated with low ferritin values after adjusting for age and gender (coefficient = −5.85; 95% confidence interval = −11.23 to −0.47; P value = 0.03). No such association was found between AAT and plasma zinc status. Myeloperoxidase and NEO were not associated with plasma zinc or iron status. The study results imply the importance of enteric protein loss in contributing to reduced ferritin levels at first 2 years of life.