Researcher Profile

My research focuses on maternal and children undernutrition and Infant and young child feeding practices.Currently I am implementing two community based randomized longitudinal study on exploring impact of health messages counseling delivered through peer groups of mothers to improve child health. This study is investigating integrating infant feeding counselling with psychosocial stimulation to improve child growth and development in urban slum of Bangladesh. Another study aiming to Assessment of effectiveness and gender analysis on use of micronutrient fortified rice under Government’s Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) safety net programme is ongoing.

• Member, Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation (BBF)
• Member, Nutrition Foundation of  (Bangladesh)
• Member, South Asian Infant Feeding Network (SAIFRN)
• Member, Nutrition Working Group (NWG)
• Member, Community based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) Working Group
• Member, Non Communicable Disease (NCD) Working Group
• Reviewer, Asian Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN)
• Reviewer, Journal of Health Population and Nutrition (JHPN)

Selected publications include:

• Ara G. Many Bangladesh adolescent gilrs and pregnant women are iodine deficit: IDD news letter, May 2010. 9-11.
• Ara G. Melse-Boonstra A, Roy SK, Alam N, Ahmed S, Khatun UHF, Ahmed T. Sub-clinical iodine deficiency still prevalent in Bangladeshi adolescent girls and pregnant women. Asian J Clin Nutr 2010;2:1-12.
• Roy SK, Bilkes F, Islam K, Ara G, Tanner P, Wosk I, Rahman AS, Chakraborty B, Jolly SP, Khatun W. Impact of pilot project of Rural Maintenance Programme (RMP) on destitute women: CARE, Bangladesh. March 2008; Food Nutr Bull Mar 2008;29(1):67-75
• Roy SK, Tomkins AM, Akrauzzman SM, Islam KE, Ara G, Khatun W, Jolly SP. Impact of Zinc supplementation on subsequent morbidity and growth in Bangladeshi children with persistent diarrhoea. J Health Popul  Nutr 2007 Mar;25(1):67-74
• Roy SK, Tomkins AM, Ara G, Jolly SP, Khatun W, Chowdhury R, Chakraborty B. Impact of Zinc Deficiency on Vibrio cholerae Enterotoxin-Stimulated Water and Electrolyte Transport in Animal Model. J Health Popul Nutr 2006:24(1):42-47.
• van den Broek JM, Roy SK, Khan WA, Biswas R, Banu B, Ara G, Chakraborty B. Risk factors for mortality in shigellosis: a case-control study among severely malnourished children in Bangladesh, J Health Popul Nutr 2005 sep;23(3):259-265.
• Roy SK, Fuchs GJ, Mahmud Z, Ara G, Islam S, Shafique S, Akter SS, Chakraborty B. Intensive Nutrition Education with or without Supplementary Feeding Improves the Nutritional Status of Moderately malnourished Children in Bangladesh. J Health Popul Nutr 2005.dec 23(4):320-330.
• Rahim MA, Islam A, Ara G, Nessa M, Shaheen N. Commercial Fast Food and Traditional Snack Food of Bangladesh: ii. Content of Proximate Nutrients, Sodium, Potassium, Dietary Fibre and Energy. Bangladesh J Nutr Dec 2002;15:31-38.