Table 3.
Prevalence of overweight/obesity by sociodemographic and household characteristics of under-five children in India (n = 176,255).
| Characteristics | Overweight/Obese Children (Row %) | Normal Children (Row %) |
Pearson’s χ2 Value | p-Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child characteristics | ||||
| Sex of child | 7.5 | 0.006 | ||
| Male | 2.7 | 97.3 | ||
| Female | 2.6 | 97.4 | ||
| Child age in months | 1900 | <0.001 | ||
| 0–11 | 5.8 | 94.3 | ||
| 12–23 | 2.4 | 97.6 | ||
| 24–35 | 1.8 | 98.2 | ||
| 36–47 | 1.8 | 98.2 | ||
| 48–59 | 2 | 98 | ||
| Birth weight | 28.7 | <0.001 | ||
| Low (<2.5 kg) | 2.3 | 97.7 | ||
| Normal (≥2.5 kg) | 2.9 | 97.1 | ||
| Currently breastfeeding | 64.5 | <0.001 | ||
| No | 2.5 | 97.6 | ||
| Yes | 2.7 | 97.3 | ||
| Birth rank | 63.4 | <0.001 | ||
| 1 | 3 | 97.1 | ||
| 2 | 2.7 | 97.4 | ||
| 3 | 2.5 | 97.6 | ||
| 4+ | 1.8 | 98.2 | ||
| Mother characteristics | ||||
| Mother’s level of education | 213.5 | <0.001 | ||
| Illiterate | 2 | 98 | ||
| Primary | 2.1 | 97.9 | ||
| Secondary | 2.7 | 97.3 | ||
| Higher | 4.7 | 95.3 | ||
| Age at marriage | 177.3 | <0.001 | ||
| <18 years | 2 | 98.1 | ||
| ≥18 years | 3.1 | 96.9 | ||
| Number of children | 82.3 | <0.001 | ||
| ≥4 | 1.7 | 98.3 | ||
| <4 | 2.8 | 97.2 | ||
| Mother’s BMI | 276.9 | <0.001 | ||
| Thin | 1.6 | 98.4 | ||
| Normal | 2.8 | 97.2 | ||
| Overweight/obese | 3.4 | 96.7 | ||
| Media exposure | 106.2 | <0.001 | ||
| Low | 2.3 | 97.7 | ||
| Medium | 3.1 | 96.9 | ||
| High | 4 | 96 | ||
| Household/community-level factors | ||||
| Place of residence | 47.3 | <0.001 | ||
| Rural | 2.3 | 97.7 | ||
| Urban | 3.4 | 96.6 | ||
| Region | 417 | <0.001 | ||
| North | 3.2 | 96.8 | ||
| Central | 2.1 | 97.9 | ||
| East | 2.1 | 97.9 | ||
| Northeast | 3.3 | 96.8 | ||
| West | 2.6 | 97.4 | ||
| South | 3.6 | 96.4 | ||
| Social group | 182.6 | <0.001 | ||
| SC | 2.4 | 97.7 | ||
| ST | 2.9 | 97.1 | ||
| OBC | 2.6 | 97.4 | ||
| Other | 2.9 | 97.1 | ||
| Religious belief | 146.9 | <0.001 | ||
| Hindu | 2.6 | 97.4 | ||
| Muslim | 2.4 | 97.7 | ||
| Other | 3.1 | 96.9 | ||
| Wealth quintile | 106.2 | <0.001 | ||
| Poorest | 1.9 | 98.1 | ||
| Poorer | 2.1 | 97.9 | ||
| Middle | 2.5 | 97.5 | ||
| Richer | 3.1 | 96.9 | ||
| Richest | 4.1 | 95.9 |
Note: Data from NFHS-4, India, 2015–2016. Percentages were computed by applying sample weights.