Prevalence and determinants of malnutrition among women of reproductive age in Bangladesh

Background

Malnutrition among women of reproductive age is an important public health issue with significant implications for maternal and child health. A complex interplay of socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental factors influences the prevalence and determinants of malnutrition in this demographic status.This study aims to determine the socioeconomic, cultural, and demographic factors that significantly impact the nutritional status of women of reproductive age in Bangladesh.

Methods

This study considered 19798 women who underwent nutritional status assessment from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2017–18 (BDHS 2017–18). A chi-square test of association and multinomial logistic regression analysis were performed to identify the factors that substantially influenced nutritional status.

Results

Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to evaluate the risk factors associated with body mass index (BMI). This study revealed that the average body mass index of ever-married women in Bangladesh was 23.32 ±4.24 kg/m². The odds ratio of being overweight and obese was higher among women who lived in urban areas (OR=1.094 and 1.254, p<0.05) and those who lived in the Chattogram division (OR=4.249 and 6.341, p<0.05). In addition, those exposed to mass media (OR=1.247 and 1.882) and involved in business (OR=1.644 and 2.162, p<0.05) were found to be overweight compared to their complementary group.

Conclusion

Effective prevention and control programs should be implemented to target women with a higher risk of developing the disease to reduce the prevalence of malnutrition.