National Heart Foundation Hospital & Research InstituteDept. of Epidemiology and Research
Dr. Ummay Afroza (Tamanna)

Our teamSenior Program Officer

Dr. Ummay Afroza (Tamanna)

Senior Program Officer

MBBS, MPH (Epidemiology, NIPSOM), CCD (BIRDEM)

About

Dr. Ummay Afroza (Tamanna) is a public health professional and epidemiologist with over eight years of experience in research, program implementation, and evidence-based public health initiatives. She currently serves as a Senior Program Officer in the Department of Epidemiology & Research at the National Heart Foundation Hospital & Research Institute, Bangladesh. Her expertise lies in epidemiological research, data analysis, and the design and implementation of large-scale public health interventions, particularly in the field of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). She has played a key role in multiple national and international research projects focusing on cardiovascular health, nutrition policy, and sodium reduction strategies. Dr. Afroza has collaborated with leading global organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), Johns Hopkins University, Resolve to Save Lives, USA, and the Gates Foundation. She has contributed to several peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals, addressing critical public health challenges such as dietary sodium intake, food labeling, and NCD prevention. Her work is driven by a commitment to translating research into policy and practice to improve population health outcomes in Bangladesh.

Research interests

  • Non-communicable diseases (NCDs)
  • Nutrition policy and dietary risk factors (salt/sodium reduction)
  • Food environment and front-of-package labeling
  • Epidemiological methods and public health surveillance
  • Health policy and implementation research

Current projects

  1. A Comprehensive Sodium Reduction Initiative for Healthier Bangladesh
  2. Engaging Stakeholders for Implementation of TFA Regulation in Bangladesh
  3. The Impact of Low-Sodium Salt Use on Serum Potassium Levels among Bangladeshi Hypertensive Patients
  4. Identification of Dietary Sources of Sodium in Bangladesh (Phase 2)

Papers on record

7 papers in the department's publication record list Dr. Ummay Afroza (Tamanna) as an author.

All papers by Afroza
  1. Current Developments in Nutrition, 2026

    Testing Front-of-Package Labels on Packaged Food for Adult and Adolescent Population in Bangladesh

    Abu Ahmed Shamim, Lindsey Smith Taillie, Oumma Halima, Nisarga Bahar, Md. Hafizul Islam and 7 others

  2. Foods, 2025

    Sodium Content and Label Discrepancies in Processed and Ultra-Processed Foods in Bangladesh: A Public Health Concern

    Ummay Afroza, Ahmad Khairul Abrar, Abira Nowar, Sheikh Mohammad Mahbubus Sobhan, Abu Ahmed Shamim and 3 others

  3. Nutrients, 2024

    Designing Front-of-Package Labels to Inform Consumers and Encourage Healthier Food Choices in Bangladesh: A Qualitative Study

    Lindsey Smith Taillie, Ahmad Khairul Abrar, Ummay Afroza, Jubaida Akhtar, Violet Noe and 3 others

  4. Frontiers in Public Health, 2024

    Global overview of government-endorsed nutrition labeling policies of packaged foods: a document review

    Ummay Afroza, Ahmad Khairul Abrar, Abira Nowar, Sheikh Mohammad Mahbubus Sobhan, Nicole Ide and 1 others

  5. Nutrients, 2023

    Salt Intake Estimation from Urine Samples in South Asian Population: Scoping Review

    Ummay Afroza, Ahmad Khairul Abrar, Abira Nowar, Jubaida Akhtar, Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun and 4 others

  6. Preprints.org, 2023

    Salt Intake Estimation from Urine Samples in South Asian Population: Scoping Review

    Ummay Afroza, Ahmad Khairul Abrar, Abira Nowar, Jubaida Akhtar, Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun and 4 others

  7. Journal of Hypertension, 2023

    PS-P04-5: A COMPARISON OF PREVALENCE OF HYPERTENSION AND BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS BETWEEN SHORT-STATURE AND TALLER IN HEAVIER ADULTS OF BANGLADESH

    Ahmad Khairul Abrar, Ummay Afroza, Sohel Reza Choudhury