THEME: DEVELOPING COUNTRIES Scandinavian Journal of NutritionlNaringsforskning Vol42:77-80,1998 The rice-based diet in Bangladesh in the context of food and nutrition security

Bangladesh is experiencing a situation with both food and nutrition insecurity. Bangladesh has developed a national plan of action within the food and nutrition area following the international plans of action. Examples of different ongoing programmes and projects related to food and nutrition security are described, including a more detailed description of the authors's own research activities. Research components pertinent to the Bangladesh rice-based diet comprise dietary surveys in rural Bangladesh in villages with different production patterns, perception studies of the commonly consumed foods, studies of the nutritional quality of the most important foods (rice, fish and vegetables) and bioavailability studies of starch from rice and calcium from small indigenous fish. Results are presented along with needs for future research. Food and nutrition situation Rice is the staple food of Bangladesh, a South-Asian country with the world high-est population density. Parboiled rice is eaten at least twice a day along with smal