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. 2025 Jul 3;25:2296. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-23482-w

Table 2.

Adjusted associations with coexisting forms of malnutrition among children aged 6–59 months in South and Southeast Asian countries, based on the most recent data

Variable Category CUW CUS CUWS CSO CAO CAU CAS
OR (95%CI) OR (95%CI) OR (95%CI) OR (95%CI) OR (95%CI) OR (95%CI) OR (95%CI)
Wealth Index Poorest Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref
Poorer 1.09 (0.84–1.41) 0.88 (0.74–1.06) 0.88 (0.66–1.18) 1.02 (0.59–1.78) 1.28 (0.76–2.17) 0.98 (0.83–1.16) 0.88 (0.75–1.03)
Middle 0.96 (0.73–1.26) 0.85 (0.70–1.02) 0.67 (0.48–0.92) 0.89 (0.47–1.66) 0.98 (0.54–1.79) 0.84 (0.69–1.02) 0.86 (0.72–1.02)
Richer 0.83 (0.58–1.19) 0.77 (0.61–0.97) 0.95 (0.66–1.37) 0.79 (0.34–1.80) 1.01 (0.47–2.18) 0.86 (0.68–1.09) 0.82 (0.65–1.02)
Richest 0.60 (0.39–0.92) 0.70 (0.50–0.98) 0.92 (0.55–1.56) 0.91 (0.42–1.96) 1.31 (0.57-3.00) 0.68 (0.49–0.94) 0.70 (0.52–0.93)
Residence Rural Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref
Urban 0.80 (0.61–1.06) 0.96 (0.77–1.20) 0.99 (0.73–1.34) 1.38 (0.79–2.44) 1.06 (0.57–1.99) 0.77 (0.62–0.95) 0.92 (0.76–1.13)
Number of living children 1 Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref
2 1.30 (0.83–2.05) 0.94 (0.71–1.26) 1.68 (0.91–3.10) 0.57 (0.14–2.27) 0.46 (0.14–1.52) 1.13 (0.82–1.55) 0.85 (0.64–1.14)
≥ 3 1.25 (0.68–2.31) 1.18 (0.73–1.90) 1.72 (0.79–3.74) 0.52 (0.10–2.73) 0.26 (0.08–0.85) 1.20 (0.73–1.97) 0.90 (0.56–1.43)
Age of mother(years) <20 Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref
20–34 1.43 (0.67–3.06) 0.81 (0.53–1.25) 1.04 (0.47–2.29) 1.36 (0.34–5.39) 0.75 (0.25–2.25) 1.01 (0.64–1.61) 0.83 (0.58–1.19)
≥ 35 1.48 (0.66–3.35) 0.62 (0.39–0.99) 1.03 (0.43–2.47) 0.65 (0.14–3.02) 0.60 (0.17–2.09) 0.84 (0.51–1.39) 0.65 (0.43–0.98)
Maternal work status Unemployed Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref
Employed 1.01 (0.81–1.27) 0.95 (0.81–1.11) 0.78 (0.59–1.02) 0.88 (0.58–1.33) 0.89 (0.55–1.46) 0.89 (0.76–1.04) 1.05 (0.91–1.20)
Maternal education No education Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref
Primary 1.25 (0.89–1.74) 0.88 (0.71–1.08) 0.90 (0.63–1.30) 0.38 (0.19–0.74) * 0.50 (0.28–0.88) 0.87 (0.71–1.07) 0.74 (0.62–0.89) *
Secondary 1.21 (0.89–1.65) 0.72 (0.59–0.89) * 0.69 (0.47–1.01) 0.64 (0.37–1.11) 0.76 (0.44–1.29) 0.71 (0.58–0.87) * 0.60 (0.50–0.73) *
Higher 1.10 (0.71–1.71) 0.56 (0.39–0.80) * 0.38 (0.19–0.77) * 0.77 (0.39–1.54) 0.65 (0.28–1.55) 0.58 (0.41–0.82) * 0.44 (0.32–0.60) *
Paternal education No education Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref
Primary 0.74 (0.53–1.03) 0.78 (0.61–0.99) 0.73 (0.51–1.04) 1.10 (0.57–2.15) 0.75 (0.41–1.38) 0.70 (0.57–0.87) * 0.82 (0.68–0.99)
Secondary 0.89 (0.65–1.23) 0.78 (0.62–0.98) 0.90 (0.64–1.25) 1.19 (0.64–2.22) 1.00 (0.58–1.73) 0.66 (0.54–0.81) * 0.73 (0.60–0.88) *
Higher 0.66 (0.41–1.08) 0.81 (0.56–1.18) 0.50 (0.28–0.91) 1.73 (0.86–3.47) 2.02 (0.96–4.23) 0.70 (0.50-1.00) 0.91 (0.66–1.25)
Sex of children Female Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref
Male 0.95 (0.79–1.14) 1.12 (0.98–1.28) 0.67 (0.54–0.84) * 1.02 (0.71–1.47) 0.72 (0.50–1.02) 0.95 (0.84–1.08) 0.88 (0.78–0.99)
Age of children (months) 6–23 mo. Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref
24–59 mo. 0.89 (0.73–1.08) 1.84 (1.56–2.18) * 0.84 (0.66–1.06) 0.42 (0.30–0.59) * 0.35 (0.25–0.49) * 0.91 (0.78–1.07) 0.86 (0.75–0.99)
Birth order number First Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref
Second 0.90 (0.59–1.37) 1.24 (0.95–1.62) 0.64 (0.37–1.09) 1.65 (0.43–6.38) 2.5 (0.76–8.24) 1.04 (0.77–1.41) 1.31 (0.99–1.73)
Third & more 1.04 (0.62–1.76) 1.16 (0.77–1.74) 0.78 (0.40–1.54) 1.19 (0.24–5.86) 2.63 (0.78–8.86) 1.18 (0.78–1.78) 1.38 (0.91–2.09)
Ever breastfed No Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref
Yes 0.75 (0.47–1.19) 1.08 (0.79–1.47) 1.19 (0.73–1.95) 1.00 (0.44–2.29) 0.68 (0.32–1.44) 1.02 (0.78–1.33) 0.96 (0.77–1.19)
Country India Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref Ref
Maldives 0.55 (0.37–0.82) * 0.42 (0.30–0.58) * 0.40 (0.22–0.70) * 0.36 (0.18–0.72) * 0.91 (0.52–1.59) 0.40 (0.30–0.53) * 0.28 (0.21–0.37) *
Myanmar 0.39 (0.29–0.53) * 0.83 (0.69–0.99) 0.27 (0.19–0.38) * 0.45 (0.18–1.12) 0.85 (0.46–1.56) 0.50 (0.43–0.60) * 0.59 (0.51–0.69) *
Nepal 0.40 (0.27–0.59) * 0.66 (0.51–0.85) * 0.68 (0.46–0.98) 0.00 (0.00–0.00) * 0.23 (0.08–0.66) * 0.45 (0.35–0.58) * 0.45 (0.37–0.56) *
Timor-Leste 1.19 (0.96–1.49) 1.50 (1.19–1.89) * 1.49 (1.14–1.94) * 2.48 (1.58–3.90) * 1.36 (0.78–2.39) 0.71 (0.56–0.91) * 0.65 (0.51–0.83) *

Abbreviations: CUW: coexistence of underweight with wasting; CUS: coexistence of underweight with stunting; CUWS: coexistence of underweight with both wasting and stunting; CSO: coexistence of stunting with overweight/obesity; CAO: coexistence of anemia with overweight/obesity; CAU: coexistence of anemia with underweight; CAS: coexistence of anemia with stunting. Weighted multivariable logistic regression models with country fixed effects were used to assess the association of potential factors with child CFM. P<0.05. *Bonferroni-corrected P < 0.007