Awareness of Calcium & Vitamin D among Women in Dhaka City

Abstract

Calcium is essential to maintaining total body health, normal growth and development, metabolizing iron, helping blood clotting & regulating blood pressure, keeping bones & teeth strong over lifetime, the action of the number of hormones, cell structure etc. Vitamin D is required for regulation of cell growth, bone formation, immune function, muscle strength, hair growth, reducing autoimmune disease, fighting infection etc. The aim of the study is to aware women about Calcium and Vitamin D, to aware them about the diseases that occur due to Calcium and Vitamin D deficiency and to make people conscious about their dietary health. The present study was designed and conducted to establish a basic understanding on the level of gap of knowledge and awareness among women in Bangladesh. In this study purposive sampling technique was followed. After collecting, the data were checked and analyzed with the help of Microsoft Excel 2007. The result was shown in bar, pie and column chart and calculated the percentage of the knowledge attitude and perception regarding awareness of calcium and vitamin D. Majority of the women have not been prescribed calcium supplement for bone disorder. Lack of awareness and insufficient knowledge of the essentiality of these two nutrients are assumed to cause this problem in Bangladesh. From the survey it was found that about the 90% & 92% women know Calcium & Vitamin D as a food supplement while 10% & 8% do not know about the Calcium & Vitamin D. They have come to largely know about milk (50%), Egg (19%) as Calcium containing food. On the basis of drinking milk is response mainly daily (40%). 37% and 35% ever been prescribed any Calcium & Vitamin D supplement by a physician while 63% and 65% ever not been prescribed. most of the women answered that they first knew about calcium and vitamin D from either from textbooks (58%) and their family (56%) or from doctor (40%). The term of “Osteoporosis” is known to 35% of women while 65% do not know about it. From this survey, we have come to know that the women who are non science background do not have adequate knowledge of essential nutrients, minerals, vitamins etc. If they have gap of knowledge about calcium and vitamin D, their children may know little about these food supplements. The government and policy makers should pay attention about improving this situation by utilizing mass media and print media to increase awareness regarding calcium and vitamin D.