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Background: Hypertension in women is generally underestimated and undiagnosed as women are considered to be at a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than men in addition to gender-related differences in healthcare seeking behaviour and access to healthcare. As hypertension extends a substantial impact on the cardiovascular health of women and can pose an enormous burden on the healthcare systems in India, identification of its risk factors along with co-morbidities becomes necessary for planning of cardiovascular risk prevention, reduction and mitigation interventions. Aim: This study aimed at estimating the prevalence and associated demographic and lifestyle risk factors of hypertension (HT) along with examining comorbidity patterns in women of reproductive age (15–49 years) in India. Material and Methods: We analyzed data of 667,258 non-pregnant women of the reproductive age group (15–49 years) from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4 dataset. We used maps to present the spatial patterns of HT in women across states and union territories and logistic regression modelling to identify associated factors. Results: The overall prevalence of HT was 10.9% among women (15–49 years), with 60.7% of these having at least one comorbidity. While the prevalence of 'HT only' was higher in women 15-29 years of age (48.0%), the prevalence of HT with co-morbidities was higher in women aged ≥30 years (63.3%). Logistic regression analysis showed higher odds of 'HT and ≥ two comorbidities' with age ≥30 years (AOR 3.46, 95% CI 3.23–3.72), higher odds of 'HT only' with alcohol consumption (AOR 1.32, 95%CI 1.23–1.42), and higher odds of 'HT and one comorbidity' with BMI ≥23 Kg/m2 (AOR 1.17, 95%CI 1.14–1.21). Also, region-wise, the prevalence of HT was highest in the states of Uttar Pradesh (11.6%), Madhya Pradesh (8.0%), and Assam (6.9%). Conclusion: The high prevalence of HT among women aged 15–49 years has serious medical, socio-economic, implications that warrant urgent and immediate gender-specific healthcare interventions. Along with lifestyle modifications, early and timely screening of HT, increasing awareness among young school-going girls, including rural areas, could flatten the HT population curve in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low birth weight (LBW) is one of the major public health challenges in India. LBW etiology is multifactorial and linked to multiple determinants, including maternal undernutrition and sociodemographic characteristics. The objective of the present endeavor was to assess how maternal dietary diversity and other sociodemographic factors among marginalized populations are associated with the incidence of LBW. The study was a part of the community-based intervention that aimed to improve maternal and child health in the Morena district of Madhya Pradesh, a state in central India. In this case-control study, cases were defined as mothers with an LBW child (<2500 grams) and controls as mothers without an LBW child. A quantitative survey was done with women of reproductive age, having at least one child aged 0–24 months. We calculated the dietary diversity based on the number of food groups consumed during pregnancy by women on a daily basis. Stepwise logistic regression models were built to test for associations between sociodemographic and dietary diversity variables and LBW incidence. There were 157 mothers with and 214 without an LBW child. Women's diets mainly consisted of grains, such as wheat, rice, maize, and roots and tubers. Eggs and meat were consumed by less than 1% of the women. There were 20% lesser chances of an LBW child with increasing maternal dietary diversity scores (odds ratio: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.65, 0.96). The poor maternal diet quality during pregnancy may result in adverse birth outcomes with long-term consequences in a child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]