Table 1 Personal characteristics of studied Egyptian married females and their husbands

Age in years

 • < 30

148(39.9%)

34(23.0%)

114(77.0%)

 • 30—< 40

158(42.6%)

56(35.4%)

102(64.6%)

 • ≥ 40

65(17.5%)

22(33.8%)

43(66.2%)

Mean ± SD

32.35 ± 7.62

33.68 ± 7.65

31.78 ± 7.55

Residence:

 • Urban

171(46.1%)

50(29.2%)

121(70.8%)

 • Rural

200(53.9%)

62(31.0%)

138(69.0%)

Women educational level

 • Illiterate/ Reads & writes

87(23.5%)

33(37.9%)

54(62.1%)

 • Basic education

48(12.9%)

11(22.9%)

37(77.1%)

 • Secondary/ Technical institute

160(43.1%)

48(30.0%)

112(70.0%)

 • University/ Postgraduate

76(20.5%)

20(26.3%)

56(73.7%)

Female occupation:

 • Housewife

274(73.9%)

85(31.0%)

189(69.0%)

 • Working

97(26.1%)

27(27.8%)

70(72.2%)

Weight categories (n = 348^a)

 • Underweight / Normal

109(31.3%)

30(27.5%)

79(72.5%)

 • Overweight

124(35.6%)

31(25.0%)

93(75.0%)

 • Obese

115(33.0%)

38(33.0%)

77(67.0%)

 Body mass index (Mean ± SD)

27.95 ± 5.29

28.64 ± 5.67

27.68 ± 5.11

 Weight (Mean ± SD)

71.70±14.03

74.40±15.82

70.62±13.14

0.023*

 Husband age / years

Mean ± SD (Range)

38.2 ± 9

39.9 ± 9.4

37.4 ± 8.7

Husband educational level

 • Illiterate/ Reads & writes

74(19.9%)

25(33.8%)

49(66.2%)

 • Basic education

22(5.9%)

7(31.8%)

15(68.2%)

 • Secondary/ Technical institute

200(53.9%)

57(28.5%)

143(71.5%)

 • University/ Postgraduate

75(20.2%)

23(30.7%)

52(69.3%)

Husband occupation

 • Employee

113(30.5%)

34(30.1%)

79(69.9%)

 • Farmer

36(9.7%)

14(38.9%)

22(61.1%)

 • Skilled worker

78(21.0%)

24(30.8%)

54(69.2%)

 • Unskilled worker

57(15.4%)

14(38.9%)

22(61.1%)

 • Free business

74(19.9%)

16(28.1%)

41(71.9%)

 • Not working

13(3.5%)

17(23.0%)

57(77.0%)

Your current husband has other wives

 • Yes

20(5.4%)

8(40%)

12(60%)

 • No

351(94.6%)

104(29.6%

247(70.4%)