Anemia Status in Relation to Body Mass Index Among Women of Childbearing Age in Bangladesh

Undernutrition and micronutrient deficiency disorders together constitute a major public health concern in Bangladesh. Among many vitamin and mineral deficiency diseases, iron-deficiency anemia remains the most persistent and has been shown to contribute to high maternal and child morbidity and mortality in the country. In parallel with micronutrient malnutrition, the country is also experiencing a rising epidemic of overweight and obesity due to changing pattern in dietary behavior and body mass index status. Previous empirical studies have demonstrated a strong correlation between body weight and anemia status. However, results remain inconclusive and for Bangladesh such evidence is nonexistent. To this end, we conducted this study using Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2011 data with an aim to explore the association between body mass index and anemia status among adult women in Bangladesh. According to the findings, age between 15 and 29 years (P <.001, OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.12-1.49), experiencing first birth before reaching the age of 18 years (P <.001, OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.15-1.50), lack of access to potable water (P =.013, OR = 1.467, 95% CI = 1.085-1.982), being underweight (P <.001, 95% CI = 1.208-1.570) and normal weight (P <.001, 95% CI = 1.819-2.516) were significantly associated with anemia status.