Association of Seafood Consumption and Nutritional Status Among Adolescent Girls

Overview

This study examines how seafood consumption, social changes, and climate change affect the nutrition and well-being of adolescent girls in south-western Bangladesh. Many adolescent girls face poor nutrition, early marriage, and limited access to adequate diets. Adolescent girls have high nutritional needs due to growth and potential early motherhood. Seafood, including fish, shrimp, and prawns, provides important nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, but little is known about how its consumption relates to nutritional status in this population. The study will collect new data from adolescent girls in the same area as a 2017 study (IMMANA study), assessing dietary pattern, nutritional status, socioeconomic conditions, and female autonomy. It will also explore how climate change affects household food access and nutrition to provide policies linking food systems and public health.

Adolescents make up a large share of Bangladesh's population, with 27.7 million aged 10-19 years. Adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable due to high nutritional needs for growth and the risk of early marriage and motherhood. National data show widespread undernutrition: about one-third of girls aged 15-19 are chronically energy deficient, with many experiencing thinness or stunting. Smaller studies suggest similar concerns among younger adolescents, including inadequate intake of both macro- and micronutrients and limited dietary knowledge. Fish is a key source of essential nutrients in Bangladesh, providing high-quality protein, omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA), and bioavailable micronutrients such as vitamin A, iodine, iron, and zinc. Evidence shows that fish consumption supports cardiovascular health and child development and is associated with improved birth outcomes. Small indigenous fish species are particularly nutrient-dense, and integrated aquaculture systems can further improve dietary diversity. Despite this, the relationship between seafood intake and nutritional status among adolescent girls remains underexplored. Aquaculture is a rapidly growing sector in Bangladesh, contributing significantly to food systems, livelihoods, and the economy. However, coastal and estuarine regions face environmental challenges such as salinity changes and climate variability, affecting food production and access. Communities in these areas remain vulnerable to poor nutrition despite living in resource-rich environments, and there is limited integration between fisheries and public health policies. This study will collect new data from adolescent girls in the same area as a 2017 study in two seasons. It will assess dietary intake, nutritional status, socioeconomic conditions, and female autonomy, and explore how climate change influences household food access and nutrition. Objectives: 1. To assess seafood consumption patterns among adolescent girls. 2. To examine the association between seafood consumption and anthropometric measurements in adolescent girls. 3. To evaluate the relationship between seafood consumption and blood levels of omega 3, vitamin D, ferritin, retinol, vitamin B12, as well as urinary iodine concentration. 4. To assess the quality of life of adolescent girls by measuring selected relevant capabilities. 5. To develop an integrated metric of nutritional well being by linking seafood consumption, nutritional outcomes, quality of life, and farming systems.