State-wise Dynamics of the Double Burden of Malnutrition among 15–49 Year-old Women in India: How Much Does the Scenario Change Considering Asian Population-specific BMI Cut-off Values?

Abstract

This article assesses the gravity of the “double burden of malnutrition” across 21 states of India, through a comparative analysis of traditional and Asian population-specific BMI categorizations for overweight and obesity. This study analyzes data on ever-married women (15–49 years) from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-2, 1998–1999; NFHS-3, 2005–2006). Findings depict that Indian women tilt toward high BMI resulting in a co-existence of under- and overweight populations, which portray a regional pattern. With Asian population-specific cut-offs, 11 states can be classified as “double burden states”; however, following traditional categorization, only 4 states face such dual pressure.

KEYWORDS:

• underweight
• overweight
• obesity
• double burden of malnutrition
• nutrition transition
• BMI cut-off points