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Table 3 Determinants of underweight among women of reproductive age in India1,2

From: Prevalence and factors associated with underweight, overweight and obesity among women of reproductive age in India

Characteristics

Asian

WHO

COR

(95% CI)

AOR

(95% CI)

COR

(95% CI)

AOR

(95% CI)

Age (in years)

 15–19

2.28 (2.22–2.34)

2.07 (2.00–2.13)

3.00 (2.91–3.08)

2.58 (2.51–2.66)

 20–29

1.37 (1.33–1.41)

1.53 (1.50–1.57)

1.61 (1.57–1.65)

1.81 (1.77–1.85)

 30–39

1.01 (0.98–1.04)

1.08 (1.06–1.11)

1.06 (1.03–1.09)

1.15 (1.12–1.17)

 40–49 (Ref.)

1.0

1.00

1.00

1.00

Parity

 Never pregnant

1.45 (1.40–1.49)

0.82 (0.79–0.85)

1.60 (1.56–1.65)

0.80 (0.77–0.83)

 1–4

0.87 (0.85–0.90)

0.88 (0.86–0.91)

0.82 (0.80–0.85)

0.85 (0.83–0.88)

  ≥ 5 (Ref.)

1.00

1.00

1.00

1.00

Hormonal contraceptive use

 No

1.49 (1.41–1.57)

1.17 (1.13–1.21)

1.58 (1.49–1.66)

1.20 (1.16–1.24)

 Yes (Ref.)

1.00

1.00

1.00

1.00

Marital status

 Never married

1.67 (1.52–1.83)

1.24 (1.16–1.33)

1.90 (1.74–2.07)

1.26 (1.18–1.35)

 Married

0.95 (0.87–1.04)

0.87 (0.82–0.93)

0.92 (0.84–1.01)

0.84 (0.79–0.90)

 Widowed

0.97 (0.88–1.08)

0.96 (0.90–1.04)

0.93 (0.84–1.02)

0.96 (0.89–1.03)

 Divorced/separated (Ref.)

1.00

1.00

1.00

1.00

Religion

 Hindu

1.39 (1.31–1.46)

1.56 (1.51–1.60)

1.46 (1.38–1.54)

1.61 (1.56–1.65)

 Muslim

1.32 (1.25–1.41)

1.51 (1.47–1.57)

1.37 (1.29–1.45)

1.51 (1.47–1.56)

 Others (Ref.)

1.00

1.00

1.00

1.00

Caste

 Scheduled caste

1.27 (1.23–1.31)

1.12 (1.10–1.15)

1.35 (1.31–1.39)

1.14 (1.12–1.16)

 Scheduled tribe

1.47 (1.42–1.53)

0.96 (0.94–0.99)

1.67 (1.61–1.73)

0.99 (0.97–1.01)

 Other backward class

1.19 (1.16–1.23)

1.08 (1.06–1.10)

1.25 (1.21–1.28)

1.10 (1.08–1.12)

 Others (Ref.)

1.00

1.00

1.00

1.00

Education

 No formal education

1.44 (1.38–1.49)

1.35 (1.31–1.39)

1.54 (1.48–1.60)

1.41 (1.37–1.45)

 Primary

1.37 (1.31–1.43)

1.24 (1.20–1.28)

1.43 (1.37–1.49)

1.26 (1.22–1.30)

 Secondary

1.52 (1.47–1.58)

1.17 (1.14–1.20)

1.60 (1.54–1.66)

1.17 (1.14–1.20)

 Higher (Ref.)

1.00

1.00

1.00

1.00

Wealth quintile

 Poorest

2.19 (2.09–2.29)

1.99 (1.93–2.05)

2.78 (2.65–2.91)

2.33 (2.26–2.40)

 Poorer

1.89 (1.80–1.98)

1.69 (1.64–1.73)

2.26 (2.15–2.36)

1.90 (1.85–1.95)

 Middle

1.59 (1.51–1.67)

1.42 (1.38–1.45)

1.79 (1.71–1.88)

1.53 (1.49–1.57)

 Richer

1.33 (1.26–1.39)

1.24 (1.20–1.27)

1.41 (1.34–1.48)

1.28 (1.25–1.32)

 Richest (Ref.)

1.00

1.00

1.00

1.00

Place of residence

 Urban (Ref.)

1.00

1.00

1.00

1.00

 Rural

1.41 (1.37–1.45)

1.06 (1.04–1.08)

1.58 (1.53–1.62)

1.09 (1.07–1.11)

Region

 Central

1.20 (1.17–1.24)

1.26 (1.23–1.29)

1.29 (1.25–1.32)

1.31 (1.28–1.33)

 Eastern

1.20 (1.16–1.23)

1.21 (1.19–1.23)

1.24 (1.20–1.28)

1.23 (1.20–1.25)

 Northeastern

0.92 (0.88–0.96)

0.81 (0.79–0.83)

0.94 (0.91–0.98)

0.80 (0.78–0.83)

 Northern (Ref.)

1.00

1.00

1.00

1.00

 Southern

0.93 (0.90–0.96)

1.15 (1.12–1.18)

0.86 (0.83–0.89)

1.12 (1.09–1.14)

 Western

1.28 (1.24–1.33)

1.55 (1.52–1.58)

1.28 (1.23–1.32)

1.59 (1.56–1.62)

  1. 1. Asian and WHO classifications categorize normal weight as BMI 18.5–22.9 and 18.5–24.9 Kg/m2, respectively. Both classifications define underweight as the BMI of < 18.5 Kg/m2
  2. 2. The p values were below < 0.05 when the 95% confidence interval did not include 1
  3. AOR Adjusted odds ratio, COR Crude odds ratio, CI Confidence interval, WHO World Health Organization