THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN BIRTH-WEIGHT, SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES AND MATERNAL ANTHROPOMETRY IN AN URBAN SAMPLE FROM DHAKA, BANGLADESH

The relationship between birthweight, sociodemographic variables and m aternal anthropometry was examined in a sample from an inner urban are a of Dhaka, Bangladesh. About 21% of babies were of low birthweight (L BW) using the World Health Organization cut-off of <2500 g. LBW was mo re common in younger (<20 years) and older (>30 years) mothers, the lo w-income group and those with little or no education. The mean birthwe ights of the higher-educated, higher-income group and male children we re on average 290, 260 and 120 g, respectively, higher than uneducated , lower-income groups and female children. The best cut-offs for detec ting LBW and normal-weight infants was maternal weight of 50 kg (odds ratio = 4.6), maternal ann circumference of 23 cm (odds ratio = 5.0) a nd body mass index of 20.5 (odds ratio = 6.5). The sensitivity and spe cificity were best for maternal weight (69% and 68%, respectively). Lo gistic regression analyses show that mothers' weight at term was the b est single predictor of LBW (31%), while maternal weight along with ag e, educational level and income group correctly predicted just over 35 % of LBW. Regression analyses also confirmed that mothers' weight at t erm was the best predictor of birthweight, with a correlation coeffici ent of 0.49.