Study title

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The aim of the research project was to monitor the changes in socio-economic and nutritional status of the same extreme poor Bangladeshi household members following income generating support programmes. Information on schooling, morbidity and employment was collected from all family members together with details of house ownership, house size and construction, access to cultivable land, electricity, water supply and sanitation. The number and size of loans, cash savings, income (both cash and in-kind), expenditure, household food intake and food coping strategies and social empowerment were also determined. Adults and children under five years of age had their height and weight measured annually and in adults Body Mass Index (weight in kg/height2 in metres) was calculated. In children height-for-age, weight-for-age and weight-for-height were determined based on World Health Organization standards. Both adults and children provided a finger prick of blood from which the haemoglobin concentration was measured. Six cohorts were recruited, cohort 1 in 2010 and was followed up 11 times, 3 surveys in both 2010 and 2011 and annually thereafter, cohort 2 recruited in 2011 and followed up 8 times, three surveys in 2011 and annually thereafter, Cohort 3 recruited in 2012 and followed up annually 5 times. Cohorts 4, 5 and 6 recruited in 2014 and followed up annually 3 times. Cohorts 1, 2, 4, and 6 comprised both rural and urban households while cohorts 3 and 5 were only rural. Rural cohorts came from all over the country while the urban cohorts were recruited from Dhaka slums. All cohorts were randomly selected and the total household sample size was 1856. The project was supported by UK Aid from the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC) in partnership with the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) to lift 1 million people out of extreme...