Socio-Economic and Demographic Determinants of Nutritional Status in South Punjab, Pakistan: A Multinomial Logistic Regression Analysis

Abstract

Good health and nutrition go hand in hand, providing the foundation for a vibrant and fulfilling life. This study examines the nutritional status among the youth of South Punjab of Pakistan and identifies some socioeconomic and demographic determinants of their nutritional. Using the sample of 685 students, collected through self-administered interviews and online survey, Body Mass Index (BMI) is calculated to measure the nutritional status. Results indicate that 33.1% of respondents are underweighted, 38.5% are normal or healthy-weighted, 14.6% are over-weighted and 13.7% are obese. Further, A Multinomial Logistic Regression model, carrying the socioeconomic and demographic determinants of nutritional status, is estimated by applying Maximum Likelihood Method (MLM). The results of this model suggest that the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of youth like age, gender (male), and middle income relative to higher family Income group are positively associated with higher BMI/ obesity. While, the absence of a driver, absence of a housemaid, a parent occupation (government and private jobs relative to no employment), and lower levels of education relative to higher have more likelihood to have healthy-weight. On the other hand, the characteristics like marital status (single relative to married), family size, and Family income group (low and upper-lower relative to upper-higher income) are inversely related to higher values of BMI/obesity whereas students of the public relative to private institutes and parent occupation (self-owned small/large scale businesses relative to no-employment) have less probability of having normal weight.