TABLE 1.
Sociodemographic characteristics of nonpregnant women of reproductive age in Malawi1
| Total (n = 723) | Urban (n = 117) | Rural (n = 606) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residence | |||
| Urban | 9.1 (1.5, 16.8) | — | — |
| Rural | 90.9 (83.2, 98.5) | — | — |
| Education | |||
| <Secondary | 79.0 (73.2, 84.8) | 35.6 (18.0, 53.2) | 83.3 (79.0, 87.6) |
| ≥Secondary | 21.0 (15.2, 26.8) | 64.4 (46.8, 82.0) | 16.7 (12.4, 21.0) |
| Wealth tertile2 | |||
| Low | 35.8 (28.7, 42.9) | 10.8 (0.0, 27.7) | 38.3 (31.0, 45.6) |
| Middle | 32.2 (27.2, 37.3) | 9.7 (3.7, 15.7) | 34.5 (29.4, 39.5) |
| High | 32.0 (24.4, 39.6) | 79.5 (66.3, 92.7) | 27.2 (20.3, 34.1) |
| Age, y | |||
| 15–19 | 20.2 (16.3, 24.0) | 14.4 (7.2, 21.6) | 20.7 (16.7, 24.8) |
| 20–29 | 38.6 (32.7, 44.5) | 57.0 (34.9, 79.0) | 36.8 (31.0, 42.5) |
| 30–39 | 24.7 (20.4, 29.0) | 14.2 (6.6, 21.9) | 25.8 (21.2, 30.3) |
| 40–49 | 16.5 (13.5, 19.6) | 14.4 (2.2, 26.6) | 16.7 (13.6, 19.9) |
| Weight status | |||
| Underweight3 | 9.2 (6.9, 11.5) | 13.7 (4.1, 23.3) | 8.7 (6.4, 11.1) |
| Normal4 | 76.3 (71.7, 81.0) | 51.9 (39.5, 64.4) | 78.8 (74.4, 83.1) |
| Overweight5 | 10.7 (7.3, 14.1) | 20.8 (7.8, 33.7) | 9.7 (6.4, 13.0) |
| Obesity6 | 3.7 (1.8, 5.6) | 13.6 (3.7, 23.5) | 2.8 (1.1, 4.4) |
1
Based on data from the 2015–2016 Malawi Micronutrient Survey.
Data are weighted percent and 95% CIs.
Prevalence estimates accounted for the complex sampling design.
2
Wealth tertiles were created from a wealth index, a variable that is derived from principal component analysis and serves as an indicator of household wealth.
3
Underweight defined as BMI <18.5 kg/m2.
4
Normal weight defined as BMI 18.5–24.9 kg/m2.
5
Overweight defined as BMI 25–29.9 kg/m2.
6
Obesity defined as ≥30 kg/m2.