Table 2 Bivariate associations between the predictors and childhood anemia (n = 167,017)

Overall prevalence

51

(48.4–53.6)

55.4

(53.1–57.7)

57.5

(57.1–57.9)

50.8

(47.6–53.9)

59

(56.6–61.3)

51.4

(48.4–54.3)

57.3

(56.9–57.7)

Mild anemia

29.7

(27.5–32.1)

29.23

(27.3–31.2)

27.8

(27.5–28.1)

29.3

(26.3–32.4)

31.8

(29.7–33.9)

25.9

(23.7–28.1)

27.9

(27.6–28.2)

Moderate anemia

20.6

(18.6–22.8)

25.8

(23.8–27.9)

28.2

(27.2–28.6)

20.9

(17.9–24.3)

26.7

(24.5–29)

25.1

(22.4–27.8)

27.9

(27.6–28.3)

Severe anemia

0.6

(0.3–1.1)

0.4

(0.2–0.6)

1.4

(1.3–1.5)

0.5

(0.2–1.3]

0.4

(0.2–0.7)

0.5

(0.2–0.9)

1.4

(1.3–1.5)

Individual-level factors

Child-level factors

Sex of child

Male

51.7

(48.1–55.3)

57.5*

(54.4–60.6)

57.4

(56.8–57.9)

54.4**

(50.4–58.2)

58.3

(55.1–61.4)

51.8

(48.1–55.5)

57.2

(56.7–57.7)

Female

50.2

(46.6–53.9)

53.2

(50.1–56.3)

57.7

(57.1–58.3)

46.7

(42.6–50.9)

59.6

(56.5–62.7)

51

(46.6–55.3)

57.4

(56.8–57.9)

Child age (months)

6–11

74.2***

(66.9–80.4)

78.1***

(72-83.2)

67.9***

(66.8–69)

66.2**

(55.6–75.3)

79.5***

(72.9–84.8)

69.1**

(60.7–76.3)

68.4***

(67.3–69.4)

12–23

68.3

(62.8–73.3)

73.3

(69.3–76.9)

69.6

(68.8–70.3)

53.6

(46.5–60.4)

77.2

(72.7–81.1)

66.1

(60.3–71.3)

69.6

(68.8–70.3)

24–35

46.6

(40.7–52.6)

49.5

(45.3–53.7)

61.1

(60.34-62.0)

51.5

(45-57.9)

59.1

(53.9–64.1)

52.5

(46.9–58.1)

60.5

(59.7–61.3)

36–47

43.1

(38.2–48)

45.2

(40.6–49.9)

51.1

(50.3–51.9)

51.4

(45.9–57)

50.1

(45.7–54.4)

41.2

(35.7–46.8)

50.8

(50-51.5)

48–59

36.8

(31.8–42.2)

40.1

(35.3–44.9)

44.0

(43.2–44.8)

40.3

(45.9–57)

42.8

(37.9–47.8)

36.9

(31.2–42.3)

43.7

(42.9–44.5)

Recent fever

No

47.5

(44.1–50.9)

53**

(50.2–55.8)

57.1***

(56.6–57.3)

48.9

(45.9–52)

58*

(55.4–60.5)

50.4

(47.2–53.7)

56.8***

(56.4–57.2)

Yes

56.66

(52.6–60.6)

61.1

(57.3–64.8)

60.5

(59.5–61.4)

56.6

(48.6–64.2)

63.6

(58.3–68.5)

54.4

(48.7–60)

60.3

(59.4–61.1)

Recent diarrhea

No

51.1**

(48.3–53.8)

54**

(51.5–56.4)

56.9***

(56.4–57.3)

50.6

(47.5–53.8)

58.9*

(56.3–61.4)

51.5

(48.6–54.4)

56.7***

(56.2–57.1)

Yes

49.8

(38.3–61.3)

65.3

(58.8–71.3)

63.9

(62.7–65.1)

52.9

(37.3–68)

59.5

(52.4–66.2)

48.9

(37.5–60.5)

63.5

(62.4–64.7)

Children stunted

Not stunted

48.8*

(45.6–52.0)

52.6**

(49.9–55.4)

53.9***

(53.4–54.5)

50.7

(47.3–54.1)

58.8

(56.1–61.5)

49.1*

(45.3–52.8)

53.8***

(53.3–54.3)

Stunted

53.3

(48.9–57.6)

60.6

(56.9–64.1)

63.1

(62.5–63.7)

50

(41.5–58.5)

59.1

(54.9–63.2)

55.4

(50.7–60.1)

62.7

(62.2–63.3)

Children underweight

Not underweight

51.4

(48.1–54.6)

53.52**

(51-55.9)

54.7***

(54.2–55.2)

50.6

(47.3–54)

58.1

(55.3–60.7)

48.2**

(44.7–51.7)

54.6***

(54.1–55.1)

Underweight

49.5

(45.1–53.9)

60.7

(56.3–65.1)

62.6

(61.9–63.2)

53.1

(43.8–62.1)

62.5

(57.6–67.1)

59.5

(54.6–64.3)

62.3

(61.7–62.9)

Children wasted

Not wasted

50.9

(48-53.7)

54.3**

(52-56.7)

56.7***

(56.2–57.2)

50.5

(47.2–53.8)

58.5

(56.1–61)

49.6***

(46.6–52.7)

56.5***

(56.1–56.9)

Wasted

49.6

(43.5–55.8)

64.6

(57.6–71.1)

60.7

(59.8–61.5)

51.6

(40.6–62.4)

63.7

(55.1–71.5)

68.1

(60-75.1)

60.6

(59.7–61.5)

Mothers and household-level factors

Mothers age (years)

15–24

54.2*

(50.2–58.1)

62.1**

(57.9–66)

61.37***

(60.6-62.05)

54.1

(46-62.1)

67.1**

(62.1–71.6)

55*

(50.8–59.1)

61.1***

(60.5–61.8)

25–34

47.8

(44.1–51.5)

53

(49.8–56.1)

55.9

(55.3–56.4)

50.9

(46.9–54.8)

57.4

(54.1–60.6)

49.9

(46.1–53.6)

55.6

(55.1–56.1)

35–49

49.1

(41.3–56.8)

53.4

(48.5–58.3)

54.6

(53.5–55.8)

48.8

(42.1–55.6)

57.3

(53.2–61.4)

44.8

(35.9–54.1)

54.4

(53.4–55.5)

Mothers education level

No education

52.1

(45.9–58.1)

55.3*

(49.1–61.3)

64.4***

(63.7–65)

38.6

(18.9–62.8)

53.6*

(48-59.2)

56.3*

(51.5–60.9)

64***

(63.3–64.6)

Primary

52.3

(47.9–56.5)

58

(55.1–60.8)

59.6

(58.6–60.5)

44.9

(39.1–50.9)

60.9

(57.2–64.4)

53.2

(47.1–59.2)

59.1

(58.2–59.9)

Secondary or above

49.8

(46.2–53.4)

51.1

(47.2–55)

53.7

(53.1–54.3)

52.4

(48.9–55.9)

58.6

(54.8–62.2)

47.1

(42.9–51.4)

53.6

(53.1–54.1)

Wealth quintile

Poorest

55.8**

(50.2–61.1)

63.1***

(58.4–67.5)

63.5***

(62.8–64.1)

45.2**

(40.9–49.5)

59.8*

(55.4–64)

48.9**

(43.3–54.6)

63.1***

(62.4–63.7)

Poor

57.8

(52.2–63.2)

60.6

(55.7–65.3)

58.9

(58.1–59.6)

48.1

(42.9–53.2)

59.5

(54.8–64)

47.8

(41.8–53.9)

58.7

(58-59.4)

Middle

52.8

(47.3–58.4)

54

(48.8–59.1)

58.1

(57.2–58.9)

45.8

(39.9–49.8)

59.8

(54.2–65.3)

60.1

(54.4–65.5)

57.8

(57.1–58.6)

Richer

44.1

(38.6–49.6)

53.9

(48.8–58.9)

53.1

(52.1–54.2)

55.1

(44.2–65.4)

53.9

(48.3–59.4)

56.3

(49.8–62.6)

53.1

(52.1–54.1)

Richest

43

(37.3–48.9)

43

(38.4–47.7)

51.3

(50.1–52.6)

78

(61-88.9)

61.7

(55.4–67.7)

39.2

(32.1–46.7)

51.2

(50-52.4)

Maternal anemia

Not anemic

43.8***

(40.5–47.1)

49.2***

(46.4–52.1)

49.5***

(48.9–50.1)

43.2**

(38.9–47.6)

53***

(49.8–56.1)

43.1***

(39.1–46.6)

49.3***

(48.8–49.9)

Anemic

60.5

(56.9–64.1)

63.1

(59.7–66.3)

63.7

(63.2–64.3)

55.4

(51.2–59.6)

67

(63.6–70.2)

61.8

(57.7–65.7)

63.6

(63.1–64.2)

Community-level factors

Place of residence

Urban

45.8*

(41.2–50.5)

42.8***

(38.3–47.5)

54.8***

(53.8–55.8)

65.9**

(56.1–74.5)

60.6

(55,8-65.3)

48.1*

(44.2–51.9)

54.6***

(53.7–55.6)

Rural

52.5

(49.4–55.6)

57.5

(54.9–60)

58.6

(58.2–59.1)

45.5

(42.9–48.2)

58.5

(55.7–61.2)

55.2

(50.8–59.6)

58.4

(58-58.8)

Community maternal anemia ^a

Low

44.2***

(40.7–47.8)

49.7***

(46.4–52.9)

50.4***

(49.8–51.1)

44.6**

(40.2–49.1)

54.5**

(50.9–58.1)

42.6***

(38.8–46.5)

50.3***

(49.7–50.9)

High

57.3

(53.7–60.9)

60.6

(57.3–63.7)

63.7

(63.1–64.3)

56.9

(52.1–61.5)

63

(59.8–66.1)

60.2

(56.2–64.1)

63.5

(63-64.1)

Community parity ^b

Low

48.6**

(45.5–51.6)

54.1

(51.2–57.1)

55.4***

(54.8–55.9)

52.6

(48.5–56.6)

58.4*

(55.5–61.2)

48.6**

(44.8–52.4)

55.3***

(54.8–55.8)

High

55.8

(50.9–60.6)

57.7

(53.9–61.4)

61.8

(61.2–62.5)

46.5

(41.5–52.1)

60.2

(55.5–64.7)

55.5

(51–60)

61.5

(60.9–62.1)

Community wealth ^c

Low

47.1**

(43.5–50.7)

49.4***

(46.2–52.5)

54.8***

(54.2–55.5)

54.9**

(50.1–59.9)

58.2*

(54.8–61.4)

53.9**

(50.2–57.6)

54.8***

(54.1–55.4)

High

54.8

(51.1–58.6)

62.1

(58.8–65.1)

60.3

(59.8–60.8)

44.8

(41-48.72)

59.7

(56.1–63.3)

47.3

(42.6–52.1)

60.1

(59.6–60.6)

Community female education ^d

Low

53.3

(49.3–57.3)

57.5*

(54.6–60.4)

62.7***

(62.2–63.3)

46.6*

(41.3–52)

59.5*

(56.2–62.4)

56.5**

(52.4–60.6)

62.3***

(61.8–62.8)

High

49.1

(45.6–52.6)

51.9

(47.9–55.9)

52.9

(52.3–53.3)

53.5

(49.5–57.4)

58.3

(54.6–61.8)

45.9

(41.9–50)

52.9

(52.3–53.5)

Community safe water access ^e

Low

53.6

(45.9–61.3)

-

57.5

(57.1–58.1)

58.3**

(52.1–64.2)

61.5

(57.4–65.4)

53.3**

(49.8–56.9)

57.6

(56.8–58.3)

High

50.7

(47.9–53.5)

-

57.4

(56.5–57.8)

45.1

(42.1–48.2)

57.3

(54.2–60.3)

46.3

(41.2–51.6)

57.4

(56.9–57.9)

Community toilet facility ^f

Low

51.1

(47.5–54.6)

59.8**

(56.6–63.2)

60.6***

(60.1–61.1)

52.2

(39.1–65.1)

59.5

(56.2–62.7)

56.8**

(51.5–61.9)

60.6***

(60.1–61.1)

High

50.9

(47-54.9)

50.5

(47.3–53.7)

54.4

(53.7–55.1)

50.7

(47.4–54)

58.3

(54.6–61.9)

48.3

(44.6–52)

54.3

(53.7–54.9)