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In rural areas of Bangladesh, poverty is pervasive and associated with high rates of malnutrition, especially among preschool children and women. Apart from low levels of energy intakes, it is increasingly recognized that rice-dominated diets such as those consumed by most poor in the countryside may not supply all micronutrients required for a healthy life and productive activities. Children and women are particularly vulnerable to these micronutrient deficiencies because they face relatively higher requirements for growth and reproduction. In Bangladesh, as in other countries in South Asia (see Smith et al., Chapter 6), a pro-male bias in food distribution owing to women’s low status and bargaining power within the household may underlie women’s inability to meet their micronutrient requirements.
