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Table 3 Baseline characteristics of mothers in the Gaza Strip by BMI category (n = 357)

From: Prevalence and predictors of overweight and obesity among women in the Gaza strip-Palestine: a cross-sectional study

Variables

Normal weight

(n = 128)

Overweight

(n = 123)

Obesity

(n = 106)

P-Value (X2)

Geographic location

   

0.107

 Urban

43 (43.0)

26 (26.0)

31 (31.0)

 

 Rural

13 (32.5)

19 (47.5)

8 (20.0)

 

 Refugee camp

72 (33.2)

78 (35.9)

67 (30.9)

 

Age (year)

   

< 0.001 (42.73)*

  ≤ 26

57 (55.9)

31 (30.4)

14 (13.7)

 

 27–33

50 (34.7)

55 (38.2)

39 (27.1)

 

  > 33

21 (19.0)

37 (33.3)

53 (47.7)

 

Educational level

   

0.017 (12.01)*

 High

29 (36.7)

32 (40.5)

18 (22.8)

 

 Medium

60 (42.9)

46 (32.8)

34 (24.3)

 

 Low

39 (28.3)

45 (32.6)

54 (39.1)

 

Work status

   

0.294

 Housewife

122 (36.0)

114 (33.6)

103 (30.4)

 

 Employee

6 (33.3)

9 (50.0)

3 (16.7)

 

Household member

   

0.090

 3–6

92 (49.5)

61 (32.8)

33 (17.7)

 

  > 6

36 (21.1)

62 (36.3)

73 (42.6)

 

Household assistance

   

0.492

 Yes

63 (34.1)

62 (33.5)

60 (32.4)

 

 No

65 (37.8)

61 (35.5)

46 (26.7)

 

Monthly income (NIS)

   

0.022 (11.49)*

  > 2000

20 (28.2)

27 (38.0)

24 (33.8)

 

 1000–2000

43 (29.7)

58 (40.0)

44 (30.3)

 

  < 1000

65 (46.0)

38 (27.0)

38 (27.0)

 

Nutrition knowledge score

   

0.078

  < 13

63 (38.4)

62 (37.8)

39 (23.8)

 

  ≥ 13

65 (33.7)

61 (31.6)

67 (34.7)

 

Type of physical activity

   

0.203

 Low

23 (29.9)

25 (32.5)

29 (37.6)

 

 Moderate

105 (37.5)

98 (35.0)

77 (27.5)

 

Sitting time (hour/day)

    

 1–3

94 (37.5)

84 (33.4)

73 (29.1)

0.623

  > 3

34 (32.1)

39 (36.8)

33 (31.1)

 

Number of pregnancies

   

< 0.001 (30.88)*

 1–5

90 (47.4)

64 (33.7)

36 (18.9)

 

  > 5

38 (22.8)

59 (35.3)

70 (41.9)

 
  1. Chi square test. *Statistically significant P-value < 0.05
  2. 1$ = 3.9NIS
  3. High Educational level: Diploma, university level, and master’s degree/PhD; Medium Educational level: secondary; Low Educational level: elementary or below and preparatory