Table 1 Characteristics of women 5–49 years of Age in 2005, 2010 and 2015 Cycles of Demographic Health Surveys

Age (years), Mean (95% CI)

27.6 (27.4–27.8)

28.2 (28.0–28.4))

28.5 (28.3–28.7)

 15–19

1840; 24.1 (0.57)

1723; 21.0 (0.50)

2061; 22.3 (0.53)

 20–24

1646; 21.6 (0.49)

1647; 20.2 (0.48)

1578; 17.1 (0.42)

 25–29

1263; 16.5 (0.46)

1516; 18.6 (0.49)

1546; 16.7 (0.46)

 30–34

1054; 13.8 (0.50)

1141; 14.0 (0.42)

1499; 16.2 (0.48)

 35–39

718; 9.4 (0.44)

932; 11.4 (0.40)

1126; 12.2 (0.42)

 40–44

593; 7.8 (0.34)

659; 8.1 (0.30)

896; 9.7 (0.34)

 45–49

521; 6.8 (0.33)

552; 6.8 (0.31)

529; 5.7 (0.25)

 Positive

1556; 20.4 (0.74)

1402; 17.2 (0.54)

1504; 16.3 (0.56)

 Negative

5871; 76.9 (0.73)

6491; 79.5 (0.61)

7505; 81.3 (0.58)

BMI (kg/m²), mean (95% CI)

24.1 (23.8–24.5)

23.9 (23.7–24.0)

24.4 (24.2–24.5)

 < 18

424; 5.6 (0.35)

334; 4.1 (0.24)

322; 3.5 (0.22)

 18- < 25

5230; 68.5 (0.71)

5225; 64.0 (0.61)

5613; 60.8 (0.71)

 25- < 30

1331; 17.4 (0.63)

1761; 21.6 (0.52)

2154; 23.3 (0.52)

 > =30

639; 8.4 (0.41)

833; 10.2 (0.43)

1117; 12.1 (0.46)

Hemoglobin (g/dL), mean(95% CI)

12.5 (12.4–12.7)

12.7 (12.6–12.8)

12.7 (12.6–12.8)

Anemia, n; %(se)

2882; 37.8 (0.96)

2305; 28.2 (0.65)

2474; 27.8 (0.64)

 Severe

79; 1.0 (0.14)

55; 0.7 (0.11)

51; 0.6 (0.08)

 Moderate

717; 9.4 (0.56)

587; 7.2 (0.34)

565; 6.1 (0.36)

 Mild

2086; 27.3 (0.65)

1663; 20.4 (0.55)

1859; 20.1 (0.51)

 No Anemia

4752; 62.3 (0.96)

5865; 71.8 (0.65)

6761; 73.2 (0.64)

Wealth Index, mean(95%CI)

3.15 (3.00–3.29)

3.17 (3.09–3.26)

3.20 (3.12–3.28)

 Poorest

1412; 18.5 (1.90)

1422; 17.4 (0.91)

1596; 17.3 (1.02)

 Poorer

1347; 17.7 (0.90)

1448; 17.7 (0.72)

1589; 17.2 (0.72)

 Middle

1398; 18.3 (1.20)

1540; 18.9 (1.03)

1662; 18.0 (0.85)

 Richer

1666; 21.8 (1.25)

1801; 22.0 (0.91)

2141; 23.2 (1.25)

 Richest

1812; 23.7 (1.68)

1959; 24.0 (1.42)

2248; 24.3 (1.36)

Pregnant/breast-feeding, n; %(se)

2016; 26.4 (0.84)

2382; 29.2 (0.75)

2215; 24.0 (0.60)

Iron in pregnancy, n; %(se)

1560; 20.4 (0.67)

2007; 24.6 (0.59)

3988; 43.2 (0.83)

 Rural

4872; 63.8 (2.34)

5173; 63.3 (1.14)

5770; 62.5 (1.14)

 Urban

2762; 36.2 (2.34)

2996; 36.7 (1.14)

3465; 37.5 (1.14)

 Manicaland

877; 11.5 (0.86)

1092; 13.4 (0.66)

1151; 12.5 (0.56)

 Mash Central

652; 8.5 (1.61)

796; 9.8 (0.60)

848; 9.2 (0.46)

 Mashonaland East

657; 8.6 (0.58)

757; 9.3 (0.72)

867; 9.4 (0.55)

 Mashonaland West

696; 9.1 (0.80)

923; 11.3 (0.85)

1073; 11.6 (0.72)

 Matabeleland North

470; 6.2 (0.60)

406; 5.0 (0.41)

452; 4.9 (0.25)

 Matabeleland South

367; 4.8 (0.45)

429; 5.3 (0.36)

400; 4.3 (0.19)

 Midlands

1127; 14.8 (0.97)

1033; 12.7 (0.79)

1177; 12.8 (1.01)

 Masvingo

1046; 13.7 (2.36)

824; 10.1 (0.60)

1125; 12.2 (0.75)

 Harare

1175; 15.4 (1.03)

1482; 18.1 (1.04)

1597; 17.3 (0.99)

 Bulawayo

567; 7.4 (0.56)

428; 5.2 (0.31)

545; 5.9 (0.30)