Prevalence and Predictors of Obesity, Undernutrition, and Anemia in Women of Reproductive Age Living in Nepal: A Scoping Review

TL;DR

This review explores the prevalence and causes of malnutrition, including obesity, undernutrition, and anemia, among women of reproductive age in Nepal.

Contribution

The study maps existing research and identifies key predictors and gaps in understanding malnutrition among Nepali women.

Findings

Underweight prevalence ranged from 2.0% to 30.3%, while overweight/obesity ranged from 4.8% to 55.0%.

Anemia prevalence varied widely from 12.83% to 66.8% across studies.

Factors like age, ethnicity, education, and reproductive health were linked to different forms of malnutrition.

Abstract

Malnutrition remains a critical public health issue among women of reproductive age (WRA) worldwide, and Nepal is no exception, as the country experiences a triple burden of malnutrition among WRA, including undernutrition, overnutrition, and anemia. This scoping review aimed to map and synthesize the existing literature to explore the scope of research on the prevalence and predictors of malnutrition (underweight, obesity, and anemia) among WRA in Nepal. A comprehensive search was conducted using several databases, including MEDLINE, DOAJ, CINAHL, and NepJOL, covering studies published between January 1, 2000, and June 15, 2024. Studies reporting the prevalence and/or predictors of undernutrition, obesity, or anemia among women aged 15–49 years in Nepal were included in this review. The exclusion criteria were studies focusing on disease-specific malnutrition, review articles, and clinical trials. Studies relying solely on secondary analyses of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) data were excluded to prevent duplication of estimates. A total of 1448 records were retrieved, and 751 duplicates were removed, leaving 697 records for screening. After excluding 577 records at the title/abstract stage, 120 full texts (including 6 from citation searching) were assessed, and 16 studies met the inclusion criteria. The prevalence of underweight ranged from 2.0% to 30.3%; overweight/obesity ranged from 4.8% to 55.0%; and anemia ranged from 12.83% to 66.8%. Definitions and measurement methods varied considerably across studies, contributing to wide variability in reported prevalence estimates. The studies identified numerous factors associated with malnutrition. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics such as age, ethnicity, family size, educational status, occupation, food consumption patterns, and health-seeking behavior were linked to different forms of malnutrition. Anemia was associated with women's ethnicity, deworming medication, and reproductive health factors, such as menarcheal status and number of antenatal visits. This review maps the existing research on malnutrition among WRA in Nepal, identifying key trends and critical gaps that require further investigation. It also emphasizes the need for multisector-targeted interventions to address the diverse factors contributing to malnutrition, including anemia.

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