Table 2.

Distribution (%) of children’s intelligence quotient (IQ) by sociodemographic characteristics and nutritional status categories

	Low/borderline		Below average		Average		High average		Superior		Likelihood ratio	p value
	Mean	95% CI	Mean	95% CI	Mean	95% CI	Mean	95% CI	Mean	95% CI
Sex
Boys	10.1	8.3, 12.2	14.3	11.6, 17.5	38.0	34.5, 41.7	20.7	17.9, 23.7	16.9	14.5, 19.7	18.726	p < 0.05
Girls	14.5	11.9, 17.6	13.1	10.6, 16.0	40.3	36.6, 44.1	15.9	13.5, 18.6	16.3	13.6, 19.3
Age groups
5.0–6.9 years	14.6	11.3, 18.7	11.9	9.2, 15.4	36.0	31.5, 40.7	19.4	15.9, 23.4	18.1	14.8, 22.0	37.301	p < 0.01
7.0–9.9 years	12.4	10.1, 15.1	13.5	11.0, 16.5	36.2	32.3, 40.3	17.6	14.8, 20.9	20.2	17.1, 23.8
10.0–12.9 years	10.5	7.9, 13.8	15.0	11.4, 19.4	44.1	39.4, 48.9	18.4	15.3, 22.0	12.0	9.4, 15.2
Residence
Urban	11.9	10.0, 14.1	13.1	10.9, 15.6	38.8	35.8, 42.0	17.9	15.8, 20.3	18.2	16.0, 20.6	21.290	p < 0.01
Rural	13.3	11.0, 16.1	16.2	12.9, 20.1	40.3	36.0, 44.7	20.0	16.5, 24.1	10.2	8.2, 12.7
Income groups
Below MYR1500	17.3	14.0, 21.1	17.5	13.6, 22.2	43.2	38.4, 48.1	13.9	11.2, 17.1	8.2	6.2, 10.7	151.781	p < 0.001
MYR1500-MYR2299	12.9	9.3, 17.7	13.9	10.3, 18.5	37.9	32.0, 44.2	21.5	17.0, 26.9	13.8	10.4, 18.1
MYR2300-MYR5599	9.9	7.5, 13.0	10.9	8.4, 14.1	40.9	36.5, 45.5	18.7	15.6, 22.3	19.6	16.3, 23.3
MYR5600 and above	6.5	4.2, 10.1	11.8	7.9, 17.3	30.2	25.0, 35.9	22.1	17.3, 27.6	29.4	23.9, 35.7
Paternal education level
Non-schooling and primary school	17.7	11.9, 25.6	22.4	13.3, 35.3	36.4	27.2, 46.7	14.4	9.2, 21.7	9.1	5.4, 15.0	99.370	p < 0.001
Secondary school	14.2	12.0, 16.7	13.6	11.5, 16.0	41.0	37.7, 44.3	17.4	15.2, 19.9	13.8	11.8, 16.0
Tertiary school	6.0	4.0, 8.7	11.3	8.2, 15.4	35.6	31.1, 40.4	21.7	18.0, 25.9	25.4	21.2, 30.1
Maternal education level
Non-schooling and primary school	21.8	14.4, 31.6	21.0	12.3, 33.4	37.9	27.7, 49.1	10.1	6.0, 16.5	9.3	4.9. 17.1	119.384	p < 0.001
Secondary school	13.5	11.5, 15.9	13.7	11.5, 16.2	42.2	39.0, 45.5	17.1	14.9, 19.5	13.5	11.6, 15.7
Tertiary school	6.4	4.5, 9.0	11.9	8.7, 15.9	31.7	27.3, 36.5	23.8	19.9, 28.2	26.2	22.0, 30.9
Ethnicity
Malay	13.5	11.2, 16.2	16.1	13.3, 19.3	41.7	38.0, 45.5	15.5	13.0, 18.3	13.2	10.9, 16.0	117.651	p < 0.001
Chinese	7.5	5.4, 10.2	8.2	6.0, 11.1	30.5	26.3, 35.1	25.3	21.3, 29.8	28.5	24.2, 33.2
Indian	17.6	12.1, 24.9	12.0	7.4, 19.0	45.2	35.5, 55.3	13.0	8.3, 19.7	12.1	6.8, 20.8
Others	10.9	7.3, 16.0	12.0	8.5, 16.6	37.3	32.2, 42.7	23.2	19.2, 27.7	16.6	13.1, 20.8
BAZ groups
Thinness	5.9	3.3, 10.3	18.1	11.7, 26.9	44.8	34.1, 56.1	16.6	11.0, 24.4	14.6	8.9, 22.8	43.447	p = 0.102
Normal weight	12.5	10.6, 14.7	11.5	9.6, 13.8	39.3	36.2, 42.6	18.7	16.4, 21.3	17.9	15.7, 20.4
Overweight	14.9	10.6, 20.7	14.7	9.1, 23.0	38.2	31.3, 45.5	19.3	14.5, 25.2	12.9	8.9, 18.4
Obese	9.4	4.7, 17.6	19.4	13.0, 28.0	37.5	30.1, 45.5	19.9	14.5, 26.6	13.9	8.5, 21.8
Severe obesity	17.1	9.9, 28.0	19.0	11.4, 29.9	35.1	25.4, 46.2	10.1	5.6, 17.5	18.7	11.9, 28.3
HAZ groups
Stunted	16.4	9.9, 26.2	14.8	9.0, 23.4	36.6	26.4, 48.2	19.4	12.3, 29.1	12.8	7.7, 20.4	3.969	p = 0.656
Normal height	11.9	10.3, 13.8	13.6	11.7, 15.8	39.3	36.6, 42.0	18.3	16.4, 20.4	16.8	15.0, 18.9

IQ categories: < 80, low/borderline; 80–90, below average; 90–109, average; 110–119, high average; ≥ 120, superior

Other ethnic groups include Sarawak bumiputra, Sabah bumiputra, and other bumiputra

ǂUSD 1 = MYR 4.1405 (as at 28 September 2018)