Determinants of Dietary Quality: Evidence from Bangladesh

SummaryWhereas a large number of studies have been devoted to analyzing consumer demand for dietary quantity, much less attention has been paid to the demand for dietary quality. To address this gap in the literature, this paper explores the determinants of dietary quality in Bangladesh using data from a nationally representative household expenditure survey conducted in 2000. We find that while male education plays a positive role, female education has a substantially stronger influence. Further, female household headship is associated with lower dietary quality than male headship. Thus, promoting female education and addressing the unique constraints faced by female headed households with respect to diet quality could be a significant policy instrument for addressing food insecurity in Bangladesh.