Food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices among hospital food service staff are crucial in the prevention of foodborne disease outbreaks, as hospitalized patients are more vulnerable to potential hazards. This study, therefore, sought to assess the food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices of food service staff in Bangladeshi hospitals. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 191 food service staff from seven different hospitals in Dhaka and Chattogram from October 2021 to March 2022 using pretested questionnaires. Multiple linear regression was used to identify the factors associated with the food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices. The findings showed moderate knowledge but high levels of attitudes and practices of food safety among hospital food handlers. Food safety knowledge was significantly higher among males, participants from private hospitals and participants working in a hospital that had a food service supervisor and dietitian in charge of food service operations. Moreover, participants from private hospitals and participants working in a hospital that had a food service supervisor and dietitian in charge of food service operations had more positive attitudes and better practices regarding food safety. Hospital management should consider these factors for enhancing food handlers’ knowledge and increase training and supervision on food safety practices to reduce foodborne diseases and outbreaks.

Background Dietary diversity (DD) is one of the key components of diet quality, and malnutrition due to poor diet quality led to child morbidity and mortality. However, in Bangladesh, there is a lack of information on childhood DD (aged 6–59 months) amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess the minimum DD and its associated factors among children aged 6–59 months during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. Methods A cross sectional study was carried out in six districts of Bangladesh. A total of 1190 respondents were included using cluster random sampling. Individual Dietary Diversity scale (IDDS) for children was used to assess the children's dietary diversity score. Factors associated with DD of children were identified using multilevel binary logistics regression model. Results About 70% of the children aged 6–59 months had minimum DD during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. Children who belonged to slum areas (AOR = 0.45 95% CI: 0.24–0.83), family income 12000–15000 BDT (AOR = 1.79; 95% CI: 1.06–3.05) and above 15000 BDT (AOR = 2.59; 95% CI: 1.47–4.57), mothers aged between 26 to 30 years (AOR = 0.35; 95% CI: 0.20–0.62) and more than 30 years (AOR = 0.43; 95% CI: 0.22, 0.85), respondents who had two under-five children (AOR = 0.43; 95% CI: 0.28–0.66), and children aged 12–23 months (AOR = 1.89; 95% CI: 1.14, 3.20) were significantly associated with DD among children aged 6–59 months. Conclusion The findings of this study highlight the need food and nutrition-related intervention, particularly targeting the mothers of younger age and having more than two under-five children, mothers from slum regions and, fathers who were unemployed improving dietary diversity practices of the children.

Introduction Street food has become popular in developing countries due to its affordability, availability and taste. Maintaining the quality and safety of street food is linked to the vendors’ appropriate food handling practices to reduce foodborne illness. Therefore, this study aimed to assess food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices of street food vendors in Chattogram city, Bangladesh. Methods A cross‐sectional study was carried out among 302 street food vendors from December 2020 to March 2021. Data were collected by in‐person interviews through a structured questionnaire. Independent sample t‐tests and one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to compare food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices scores across socio‐demographic variables. Results The mean score of food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices was 8.99 (SD = 4.17, range: 1–18), 8.46 (SD = 3.51, range: 1–16) and 17.78 (SD = 5.74, range: 1–34), respectively. The food safety knowledge scores significantly (p < 0.05) differed by the participants’ age, marital status, income, residence and work experience. The average food safety attitudes score significantly (p < 0.05) varied by age, marital status, income, and education level. The average food safety practices score significantly (p < 0.05) differed by the respondents’ education level and work experience. Conclusion Our findings suggest that food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices were poor among street food vendors. Therefore, there is a need for strategies and intervention programs such as food safety training and awareness campaigns as well as financial support to improve food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices which help to reduce foodborne illness.

Introduction The usage of dietary supplement (DS) such as vitamins, minerals, and fish oil has expanded, but there is limited data on their use by sub-populations such as university students. The study was aimed to investigate the prevalence of DS use among Bangladeshi university students and its associated factors. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 390 students was conducted from two public universities from Barishal Division in Bangladesh using a structured questionnaire with 72 questions divided into five sections: sociodemographic, knowledge, opinions, and attitudes, types of DS, reasons and sources for using DS, and adverse reactions after taking DS. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were utilized to estimate the results. Results Among all the students, 15.6% students were using DS where only 7.7% of them used DS according to physicians’ recommendation. Additionally, students used DS for general health and well-being, weight gaining and as a source of energy for physical and sporting activities, etc. The use of DS was significantly associated with female sex (AOR = 5.44, 95% CI: 2.18–13.52), ≥25 years age (AOR = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.01–0.67), underweight (AOR = 5.86, 95% CI: 1.95–17.62), having major illness (AOR = 6.99, 95% CI: 1.98–24.70) and good knowledge of DS (AOR = 2.64, 95% CI: 1.23–5.64). Conclusion This study provides new findings on DS use and its correlates in Bangladeshi students which may be used by the policymakers to improve DS usage among students. Adaptation of an appropriate program is recommended to educate students on proper and safer ways of using DS.