Table 2

Odds of boys being undernourished compared with girls by regions and age groups

Region/age groupsNo. of studies of wastingPooled OR (95% CI)P valueNo. of studies of stuntingPooled OR (95% CI)P valueNo. of studies of underweightPooled OR (95% CI)P value
Africa
 East81.18 (0.95 to 1.47)0.126171.50 (1.29 to 1.72)<0.001111.24 (1.02 to 1.50)<0.0034
 West31.34 (1.12 to 1.59)0.00141.24 (1.18 to 1.30)<0.00131.32 (1.19 to 1.47)<0.001
 Central11.23 (1.13 to 1.33)<0.001
 North11.21 (1.05 to 1.40)0.009
Oceania12.44 (1.37 to 4.33)0.002
Asia
 South51.39 (1.12 to 1.72)0.00370.88 (0.62 to 1.26)0.49240.84 (0.52 to 1.35)0.475
 South East31.08 (0.99 to 1.17)0.09251.25 (1.08 to 1.45)0.00331.09 (0.91 to 1.32)0.350
Central America11.56 (1.17 to 2.07)0.00310.53 (0.40 to 0.72)<0.001
Multiple studies11.58 (1.52 to 1.64)<0.00121.26 (1.07 to 1.49)0.00611.38 (1.35 to 1.41)<0.001
Age group (months)
 0–2451.19 (1.06 to 1.34)0.004121.46 (1.20 to 1.79)<0.00151.15 (0.80 to 1.65)0.445
 24–5931.21 (0.63 to 2.33)0.572
 0–59151.30 (1.13 to 1.48)<0.001241.24 (1.16 to 1.32)<0.001171.13 (0.99 to 1.29)0.066