Domestic Violence and Obesity in Egyptian Women

Li Li, Emory University

Domestic violence and malnutrition are global public-health problems. We explore the associations of prior exposures to domestic violence and the odds of being obese among 4,928 ever-married, non-pregnant women 15 – 49 years who participated in the 2005 Egypt Demographic and Health Survey. Women's mean body-mass-index (BMI) was 30.0 kg/m2, and more than three quarters of the women were overweight (35%) or obese (44%). More than one third (34%) had reported exposure to psychological, physical, or sexual domestic violence. The adjusted odds of being obese were marginally higher among women with prior exposure to sexual violence (aOR=1.32). A significant dose-response relationship remained between the adjusted odds of obesity and the number of forms of physical or sexual domestic violence experienced (aOR=1.00 for none, 1.03 for one, 1.19 for two, and 1.33 for three or more forms). Overnutrition among women in poorer settings may partly result from persistent gender inequality.