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Correlates and inequality of underweight and overweight among women of reproductive age: Evidence from the 2016 Nepal Demographic Health Survey

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  • Anjana Rai
  • Swadesh Gurung
  • Subash Thapa
  • Naomi M Saville

Abstract

Introduction: Understanding socio-economic correlates and inequality of underweight and overweight is crucial to develop interventions to prevent adverse health outcomes. Materials and methods: We analysed Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2016 data from 6,069 women aged 15–49 years. WHO cut-offs for Body Mass Index categorised as: underweight ( = 25.0 kg/m2) were used. We used multinomial logistic regression to explore associations of factors with Body Mass Index and concentration indices to estimate socio-economic inequalities. Results: Higher risk of underweight was found in age group 15–19 (RRR 3.08, 95% CI: 2.29–4.15), 20–29 (RRR 1.64, 95% CI: 1.29–2.08) and in lowest (RRR 1.60, 95% CI: 1.03–2.47) and second wealth quintiles (RRR 1.77 (95% CI: 1.18–2.64). Education, occupation, urban/rural residence and food security were not associated with underweight (p>0.05). Lower risk of overweight/obesity was found in age group 15–19 (RRR 0.07, 95% CI: 0.05–0.10), 20–29 (RRR 0.40, 95% CI: 0.32–0.51), in manual occupation (RRR 0.58, 95% CI: 0.46–0.74) and in lower quintiles. Women with primary (RRR 1.91, 95% CI: 1.36–2.67), secondary education (RRR 1.42, 95% CI 1.00, 2.01) were at increased risk of overweight/obesity. Household food security and urban/rural residence were not associated with overweight/obesity (p>0.05). Socioeconomic inequalities were detected, with overweight/obesity strongly concentrated (concentration index: 0.380) amongst the higher quintiles and underweight concentrated (concentration index: -0.052) amongst the poorest. Conclusion: Nutrition programmes should target younger and poor women to address undernutrition and higher wealth group women to address overnutrition. Equity based nutrition interventions improving socio-economic status of poor households may benefit undernourished women. Interventions to encourage physical activity as women age and among wealthier women as well as healthy eating for prevention of under- and over-nutrition are needed.

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  • Anjana Rai & Swadesh Gurung & Subash Thapa & Naomi M Saville, 2019. "Correlates and inequality of underweight and overweight among women of reproductive age: Evidence from the 2016 Nepal Demographic Health Survey," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(5), pages 1-16, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0216644
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216644
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    1. Kedir Y Ahmed & Abdon G Rwabilimbo & Solomon Abrha & Andrew Page & Amit Arora & Fentaw Tadese & Tigistu Yemane Beyene & Abdulaziz Seiko & Abdulhafiz A Endris & Kingsley E Agho & Felix Akpojene Ogbo & , 2020. "Factors associated with underweight, overweight, and obesity in reproductive age Tanzanian women," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(8), pages 1-16, August.
    2. Kritika Rana & Ritesh Chimoriya & Nabila Binte Haque & Milan K. Piya & Romila Chimoriya & Michael Ekholuenetale & Amit Arora, 2022. "Prevalence and Correlates of Underweight among Women of Reproductive Age in Nepal: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-15, September.
    3. Monica Ewomazino Akokuwebe & Erhabor Sunday Idemudia, 2021. "Multilevel Analysis of Urban–Rural Variations of Body Weights and Individual-Level Factors among Women of Childbearing Age in Nigeria and South Africa: A Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-30, December.
    4. Patel, Ratna & Srivastava, Shobhit & Kumar, Pradeep & Chauhan, Shekhar, 2020. "Factors associated with double burden of malnutrition among mother-child pairs in India: A study based on National Family Health Survey 2015–16," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    5. Rajat Das Gupta & Shams Shabab Haider & Mohammad Rashidul Hashan & Mehedi Hasan & Ipsita Sutradhar & Ibrahim Hossain Sajal & Hemraj Joshi & Mohammad Rifat Haider & Malabika Sarker, 2020. "Association between the frequency of television watching and overweight and obesity among women of reproductive age in Nepal: Analysis of data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2016," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(2), pages 1-13, February.

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