Socioeconomic inequalities in women’s undernutrition: evidence from nationally representative cross-sectional Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2017−2018

Rahman, M., Tariqujjaman, M., Islam, M. R., Sheikh, S. P., Sultana, N., Ahmed, T., Ahmed, S. and Sarma, H. (2022) Socioeconomic inequalities in women’s undernutrition: evidence from nationally representative cross-sectional Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2017−2018. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(8), 4698. (doi: 10.3390/ijerph19084698) (PMID:35457563) (PMCID:PMC9031436)

Abstract

The objective of this study was to explore the socioeconomic inequalities in undernutrition among ever-married women of reproductive age. We used nationally representative cross-sectional data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, 2017−2018. Undernutrition was defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 18.5 kg/m2. The concentration index (C) was used to measure the socioeconomic inequality in the prevalence of women’s undernutrition. A multiple binary logistic regression model was carried out to find out the factors associated with women’s undernutrition. The prevalence of undernutrition among women of 15−49 years was 12%. Among them, 8.5% of women were from urban and 12.7% of women were from rural areas. The prevalence of undernutrition was highest (21.9%) among women who belonged to the adolescent age group (15−19 years). The C showed that undernutrition was more prevalent among the socioeconomically worst-off (poorest) group in Bangladesh (C = −0.26). An adjusted multiple logistic regression model indicated that women less than 19 years of age had higher odds (adjusted odds ratio, AOR: 2.81; 95% confidence interval, CI: 2.23, 3.55) of being undernourished. Women from the poorest wealth quintile (AOR: 3.93, 95% CI: 3.21, 4.81) had higher odds of being undernourished. On the other hand, women who had completed secondary or higher education (AOR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.49, 0.61), married women who were living with their husbands (AOR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.61, 0.86), and women exposed to mass media (AOR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.79, 0.97) were less likely to be undernourished. Intervention strategies should be developed targeting the poorest to combat undernutrition in women of reproductive age in Bangladesh.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: Undernutrition, ever-married women, inequalities, adolescent, Bangladesh.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Ahmed, Dr Sayem
• Authors: Rahman, M., Tariqujjaman, M., Islam, M. R., Sheikh, S. P., Sultana, N., Ahmed, T., Ahmed, S., and Sarma, H.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment
• Journal Name: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 1661-7827
• ISSN (Online): 1660-4601
• Published Online: 13 April 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 The Authors
• First Published: First published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19(8): 4698
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License