Table 3 Multiple logistic regression results on predictors of stunting and underweight among children under age 5, The Gambia DHS, 2019–2020 (n = 3279)

Odds ratio

std. err

t

P > t

95% conf. Interval

Odds ratio

std. err

t

P > t

95% conf. interval

Age of mother (in years)

 15–24

0.99

0.36

-0.03

0.975

0.48

2.03

0.79

0.27

-0.67

0.501

0.40

1.56

 25–34

1.32

0.325

1.14

0.255

0.82

2.15

1.20

0.33

0.69

0.49

0.71

2.05

Educational level of mother

 Primary and above

1.51

0.24

2.61

0.009*

1.11

2.07

1.52

0.27

2.31

0.022*

1.06

2.14

Residential area of mother

 Rural

0.89

0.17

-0.61

0.541

0.62

1.33

0.82

0.15

-1.12

0.248

0.58

1.16

Household wealth index

 Poor

1.69

0.43

2.09

0.038*

1.03

2.80

1.83

0.41

2.72

0.007*

1.18

2.83

 Middle

1.79

0.42

2.48

0.014*

1.13

2.86

1.37

0.29

1.48

0.14

0.90

2.09

Employment status of mother

 Not employed

0.79

0.11

1.66

0.097

0.60

1.04

0.96

0.19

-0.22

0.823

0.65

1.40

Age at first sex of mother in years

 8–16

0.73

0.30

0.75

0.457

0.33

1.64

1.19

0.53

0.4

0.689

0.50

2.85

 17–24

0.76

0.31

-0.69

0.490

0.34

1.68

1.00

0.39

-0.01

0.998

0.47

2.14

Age at first birth of mother in years

 12–19

0.88

0.40

0.29

0.773

0.36

2.15

0.64

0.23

1.24

0.215

0.32

1.30

 20–27

0.84

0.39

-0.39

0.699

0.33

2.09

0.56

0.20

-1.59

0.113

0.28

1.15

Mother is thin

 Yes

1.44

0.26

2.01

0.033*

1.01

2.05

2.36

0.49

4.18

 < 0.001*

1.58

3.54

Mother accepts wife beating

 Yes

1.69

0.28

3.14

0.002*

1.22

2.35

1.66

0.31

2.76

0.006*

1.15

2.40

Mother empowered to make decision

 No

1.15

0.18

0.86

0.391

0.84

1.57

0.98

0.17

0.14

0.89

0.69

1.38

Number of living children (under age 5)

 3–4

1.27

0.25

1.19

0.234

0.86

1.88

1.28

0.32

1.00

0.32

0.78

2.09

Age of child in years

 3 and above

0.79

0.12

-1.61

0.110

0.59

1.05

1.19

0.17

1.18

0.24

0.89

1.57

Sex of the child

 Female

0.76

0.1

-1.97

0.05

0.59

0.99

0.85

0.13

-1.13

0.261

0.63

1.13

Birth order of child

 3–4

1.29

0.31

1.05

0.295

0.80

2.07

1.21

0.34

0.68

0.496

0.70

2.10

 5–6

0.79

0.50

-0.36

0.718

0.23

2.73

0.96

0.54

-0.07

0.941

0.31

2.92

Educational status of husband

 Primary and above

0.83

0.15

-0.05

0.294

0.59

1.17

0.86

0.17

-0.77

0.443

0.59

1.26

Employment status of husband

 Not employed

0.95

0.36

0.14

0.886

0.45

2.01

1.58

0.79

0.91

0.362

0.59

4.23