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Table 2 Pooled odds ratio for the relationship between formal and informal maternal employment and overweighta

From: The weight of work: the association between maternal employment and overweight in low- and middle-income countries

 

N = 162,768b

 

Pooled Odds Ratio

(95% Confidence Interval)

Formal Employmentc

 

All low- and middle-income countries

1.3 (1.2, 1.4)

Countries where the association did not vary by education

1.2 (1.1, 1.4)

Countries where the association varied by education: low educationd

1.5 (1.1, 1.9)

Countries where the association varied by education: high educationd

1.2 (1.0, 1.3)

Informal Employmentc

 

All low- and middle-income countries

0.72 (0.64, 0.81)

Countries where the association did not vary by education

0.71 (0.60, 0.83)

Countries where the association varied by education: low educationd

0.74 (0.62, 0.88)

Countries where the association varied by education: high educationd

0.63 (0.50, 0.79)

  1. aPooled odds ratios (POR) were generated using meta-analysis and pool estimates across country subgroups. Overweight was defined as BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2. All models were adjusted for maternal age (years), parity, marital status (married, not married), number of household members, child age (months), and substitute childcare provider (yes, no). Models which did not retain the employmentXeducation interaction term were also adjusted for maternal education (< primary education, ≥ primary education completed)
  2. bTotal sample size is unweighted
  3. cType of employment was based on 4 indicators: 1) employment during the last 12 months (yes, no); 2) aggregate occupation category (skilled, unskilled); 3) type of earnings (cash only, cash and in-kind, in-kind only, unpaid); and 4) seasonality of employment (all year, seasonally/occasionally)
  4. dThe employmentXeducation interaction term was retained in the following countries: Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Honduras, Kyrgyz Republic, Mozambique, Nigeria, Peru, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe. The relative difference in the employment-overweight association, comparing mothers with high to low education for formal employment was: POR = 0.78 (95% CI: 0.62, 0.98) and for informal employment was: POR = 0.81 (95% CI: 0.58, 1.1)