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Food is one of the basic needs of humans. For a healthy life, balanced food is necessary. Proper calorie intake can positively contribute to energy and well-being. Most people have no idea about the nutritional values of food, particularly the calories contained in each food. They either rely on ravishing food items without knowing what harm is caused, unconsciously leading themselves to fatal diseases, or they are simply deprived of proper nutrition (Shannon, 1994; Caama ̃no et al., 2019; Hakim & Kamruzzaman, 2016).
Improper nutrition can lead to health problems (e.g., obesity, malnutrition) caused by being overweight or underweight. A recent survey indicates that being obese or over-weight may cause a devastating effect on health (World Health Organization (WHO), 2013). Carrying excess fat leads to significant health hazards such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. It can also cause musculoskeletal issues such as osteoarthritis and some cancers, which might lead to undeniable impairment or even death. Malnutrition is a major cause of death in children and women. In addition to causing individual tragedies like maternal and child mortality, malnutrition results in excessive costs within the healthcare system through excess morbidity, increases premature delivery, and elevates risks of heart disease and diabetes (Health and nutrition status in Bangladesh: UNICEF, 2017). School-age children who suffered from early childhood malnutrition have generally been found to have lower IQ levels, deficient cognitive functions, below average educational achievements, and greater behavioral problems (Grantham-McGregor, 1995).
The global number of moderately or severely underweight girls and boys were 75 million and 117 million respectively in 2016. If post-2000 trends continue, the levels of child and adolescent obesity will surpass those for moderately and severely underweight youth from the same age group by 2022 (World Health Organization and others, 2017).
A study, conducted by the Imperial College London and the World Health Organization (WHO), stated that Bangladesh is facing the “dual burden” of both malnutrition and obesity (Islam & Reza, 2018). According to a study, between 1975 and 2016, the weight problems (malnutrition and obesity) among boys in Bangladesh have increased from 0.03% to 3%. Among girls, the rate has increased from almost zero to 2.3% (Khaled, 2017).
The prevalence of obesity increased from 2.7% to 8.9% among women in Bangladesh (Balarajan &Villamor, 2009). Childhood obesity is a particular public health concern for Bangladesh because children who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of becoming overweight or obese adults (Singh et al., 2008; Whitaker et al., 1997) and overweight adults are at increased risk for mortality and morbidity with obesity-associated chronic diseases, which are already a burden to the struggling health system in Bangladesh (Bhuiyan et al., 2013; Mirelman et al., 2012).
At the same time, Bangladesh has the highest rate of malnutrition in the world. As per the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), among preschool-age children, a ratio of 54% is stunted (which is greater than 9.5 million), whereas 56% are underweight and more than 17% are wasted further (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2010). Almost half of Bangladeshi women suffer from chronic energy deficiency for a long run and research suggests that little improvement has been made in women’s dietary conditions over the past twenty years. Proper knowledge of the food values is essential for living a healthy life.
In Bangladesh, women hold the responsibility of cooking (Asaduzzaman et al., 2010; Barua, 2019; Charles & Kerr, 1988; DeVault, 1991; Ekstr ̈om, 1990; E. L. F ̈urst, 1997). They must be given proper knowledge of calories and nutrition in each food item. Only then, they can ensure a nutritious and balanced meal for each family member considering their age, gender, and activity. However, the traditional teaching approach is not fruitful since it is notoriously monotonous. A new approach needs to be introduced to overcome this challenging problem.