"Association of Knowledge, Dietary Behaviors, and Attitudes Toward Hair Problems Among the Population in the Chattogram Division, Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study".

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hair health is influenced by sociodemographic characteristics, dietary habits, and knowledge. Despite increased global attention to hair-related concerns, research on hair care knowledge and behaviors remains scarce in low-resource nations like Bangladesh. The purpose of this study was to determine the demographic variables associated with dietary habits, attitudes, and awareness of hair issues among residents of Bangladesh's Chattogram Division.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1316 individuals (66.4% female; 80.9% from urban areas) recruited by multistage random sampling. A standardized questionnaire examined demographics, hair health awareness, dietary habits (including sugar-sweetened beverage use), and attitudes. Multinomial logistic regression and chi-square tests were used to assess associations.

RESULTS

In spite of the fact that 78.4% of respondents identified hair loss as a concern, only 18.8% of them recognized androgenic alopecia. Females had higher knowledge levels than males (92.6% moderate/good vs 78.3%, p < 0.001). Living in an urban area was substantially linked to favorable attitudes (OR = 5.31, p = 0.001) and improved knowledge (OR = 1.67, p = 0.012). Living with family was associated with higher dietary consumption (OR = 1.50, p = 0.026). Notably, 8.7% of respondents indicated excessive use of sugar-sweetened beverages.

CONCLUSIONS

There are significant gaps in medical understanding of hair loss, especially among males and rural inhabitants. Nutrition education and culturally appropriate awareness campaigns should be among the targeted measures.