Table 1 Percentage distribution of SC & ST women by underweight & non-underweight BMI, West Bengal, NFHS-5 (2019-21)

Socio-demographic factors

Religion

Hindu

84.28

15.72

5,880

76.37

23.63

1,291

Non Hindu

91.38

8.62

81

83.31

16.69

205

Place of Residence

Urban

90.85

9.15

1,599

89.73

10.27

119

Rural

81.60

18.40

4,362

76.04

23.96

1,377

Wealth Index

Poorest

75.95

24.05

2,322

74.03

25.97

1,008

Poorer

85.71

14.29

1,777

78.62

21.38

303

Middle

91.19

8.81

1,119

91.34

8.66

112

Richer

92.69

7.31

566

94.43

5.57

63

Richest

97.36

2.64

177

89.80

10.20

10

Age Group

15–24

73.65

26.35

1,858.00

68.94

31.06

516

25–34

87.32

12.68

1,760.00

81.23

18.77

441

35–49

90.64

9.36

2,343.00

82.03

17.97

539

Education

No Education

83.33

16.67

1,435

77.11

22.89

581

Primary

87.69

12.31

1,137

78.07

21.93

255

Secondary

82.71

17.29

2,975

75.02

24.98

598

Higher

90.55

9.45

414

96.34

3.66

62

Marital Status

Unmarried

70.16

29.84

999

73.38

26.62

325

Married

87.10

12.90

4654

78.65

21.35

1,062

Others

88.27

11.73

308

75.57

24.43

109

Parity

0

72.81

27.19

1,334

74.12

25.88

461

1 to 2

88.02

11.98

3,273

78.53

21.47

668

2 & more

86.96

13.04

1,354

78.91

21.09

367

Family Size

 < 4

88.14

11.86

1,489

79.05

20.95

350

4 & More

83.08

16.92

4,472

76.76

23.24

1,146

Food & dietary habits

Milk or curd

Never

78.58

21.42

868

76.03

23.97

370

Daily

84.97

15.03

1,196

76.11

23.89

205

Weekly

87.09

12.91

1,656

82.23

17.77

317

Occasionally

84.04

15.96

2,241

75.67

24.33

604

Pulses or beans

Never

81.67

18.33

92

73.80

26.20

18

Daily

85.51

14.49

2813

76.05

23.95

630

Weekly

83.89

16.11

2677

78.29

21.71

720

Occasionally

80.17

19.83

379

78.15

21.85

128

Dark green leafy vegetables

Daily

84.60

15.40

4,599

79.00

21.00

1,142

Weekly

83.87

16.13

1,188

72.71

27.29

317

Occasionally

82.44

17.56

174

70.16

29.84

37

Fruits

Never

80.27

19.73

315

75.61

24.39

139

Daily

87.47

12.53

335

88.57

11.43

63

Weekly

88.11

11.89

1,766

78.09

21.91

309

Occasionally

82.36

17.64

3,545

76.69

23.31

985

Eggs

Never

83.93

16.07

242

72.25

27.75

79

Daily

86.58

13.42

618

69.73

30.27

93

Weekly

84.46

15.54

4,181

77.86

22.14

1,040

Occasionally

82.53

17.47

920

79.40

20.60

284

Fish

Never

82.51

17.49

82

80.70

19.30

33

Daily

86.48

13.52

1,296

80.54

19.46

170

Weekly

84.13

15.87

3,835

78.01

21.99

1,010

Occasionally

81.55

18.45

748

72.01

27.99

283

Chicken or meat

Never

89.62

10.38

238

79.58

20.42

28

Daily

89.36

10.64

85

83.01

16.99

30

Weekly

85.28

14.72

3,216

77.44

22.56

800

Occasionally

82.40

17.60

2,422

76.76

23.24

638

Fried foods

Never

86.20

13.80

207

76.98

23.02

56

Daily

85.06

14.94

1,100

78.02

21.98

234

Weekly

83.49

16.51

2,612

78.36

21.64

586

Occasionally

84.94

15.06

2,042

75.98

24.02

620

Aerated drinks

Never

81.08

18.92

1,396

76.05

23.95

507

Daily

88.83

11.17

96

94.33

5.67

12

Weekly

86.45

13.55

532

76.47

23.53

95

Occasionally

85.05

14.95

3,937

77.93

22.07

882

Alcohol & smoking habits

Smoke

No

84.38

15.62

5,953

77.39

22.61

1,492

Yes

88.72

11.28

8

38.58

61.42

4

Drink Alcohol

No

84.47

15.53

5,911

77.31

22.69

1,420

Yes

71.77

28.23

50

77.03

22.97

76

Geographic factor

Region

North Bengal

84.50

15.50

1,542

76.74

23.26

455

Middle Bengal

79.36

20.64

1,280

74.87

25.13

330

South Bengal

85.61

14.39

3,139

78.34

21.66

711

Total

84.38

15.62

5,961

76.14

23.86

1,496