Nutritional Status, Anemia, and Vitamin D Abnormalities Among Women of Reproductive Age: Findings from Quetta, Pakistan
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Keywords
Women of reproductive age, Nutritional status, Body mass index, anemia, Underweight
Abstract
Background: Women of reproductive age are vulnerable to a range of nutritional problems, including underweight, overweight, anemia, and vitamin D abnormalities. The coexistence of these conditions represents an important public-health challenge, particularly in resource-limited settings. This study assessed nutritional status, anemia, and vitamin D status among women of reproductive age and examined their associations.
Methods: A total of 425 women aged 15–49 years were included in the analysis. Sociodemographic characteristics, body mass index (BMI), nutritional status, anemia status, and vitamin D status were assessed. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics. Associations between nutritional status and anemia or vitamin D status were evaluated using Pearson’s chi-square test. Unadjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and effect sizes were calculated for binary comparisons. Statistical significance was considered at p < 0.05.
Results: Of the 425 participants, 47.1% were overweight, 14.4% were underweight, and 38.6% had normal BMI. Anemia was present in 23.5% of participants, while 21.6% had low vitamin D status, including 15.3% with insufficiency and 6.4% with deficiency. No significant associations were observed between underweight and anemia (OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.39–1.51; p = 0.443), overweight and anemia (OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.54–1.34; p = 0.483), or overweight and low vitamin D (OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 0.73–1.84; p = 0.523). Participants classified with abnormal nutritional status had significantly higher odds of low vitamin D than those with normal nutritional status (24.9% vs. 16.5%; OR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.02–2.77; p = 0.040). Underweight participants also showed a higher prevalence of low vitamin D (31.1% vs. 20.1%), although the binary association was borderline (p = 0.052). Nutritional status varied significantly across age groups, with underweight more prominent among younger women and overweight increasingly predominant with advancing age (χ² = 45.08, p < 0.001; Cramér’s V = 0.416).
Conclusion: The study demonstrates a substantial burden of abnormal nutritional status, anemia, and low vitamin D among women of reproductive age. The significant association between abnormal nutritional status and low vitamin D, together with the age-related shift from underweight toward overweight, highlights the need for comprehensive nutritional assessment. Interventions should address both inadequate and excess nutrition while incorporating appropriate screening for micronutrient abnormalities.
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