Table 2

Age-specific proportions of underweight in participants among outpatients, inpatients and general populations

TotalMaleFemale
Age (years)Outpatients % (n)Inpatients % (n)General populations %* (n)p ValueOutpatients % (n)Inpatients % (n)General populations %* (n)p ValueOutpatients % (n)Inpatients % (n)General populations %* (n)p Value
20–296.9 (17/247)11.7 (32/273)14.9 (238/1578)0.001†4.8 (6/124)11.3 (18/160)7.2 (58/759)NS†8.9 (11/123)12.4 (14/113)21.8 (180/819)<0.001†
30–395.5 (46/841)8.6 (72/835)11.1 (328/2901)<0.001†2.9 (14/486)9.9 (49/496)4.1 (56/1328)<0.001†9.0 (32/355)6.8 (23/339)17.1 (272/1573)<0.001†
40–493.1 (38/1230)11.1 (203/1827)7.8 (241/3135)<0.001†2.9 (22/771)10.8 (114/1052)3.8 (46/1398)<0.001†3.5 (16/459)11.5 (89/775)11.1 (195/1737)<0.001†
50–593.3 (43/1290)14.3 (434/3038)5.9 (197/3366)<0.001†2.7 (21/772)13.5 (235/1747)2.3 (36/1431)<0.001†4.2 (22/518)15.4 (199/1291)8.6 (161/1935)<0.001†
60–693.7 (48/1284)19.3 (954/4954)6.3 (276/5040)<0.001†3.1 (23/750)17.6 (464/2632)3.2 (72/2266)<0.001†4.7 (25/534)21.1 (490/2322)8.9 (204/2774)<0.001†
≥707.3 (40/549)23.7 (786/3310)7.7 (432/5741)<0.001†8.2 (20/244)20.8 (299/1437)5.5 (134/2506)<0.001†6.6 (20/305)26.0 (487/1873)9.5 (298/3235)<0.001†
Total4.3 (232/5441)17.4 (2481/14 237)7.9 (1712/21 761)<0.001†3.4 (106/3147)15.7 (1179/7524)4.1 (402/9688)<0.001†5.5 (126/2294)19.4 (1302/6713)10.9 (1310/12 073)<0.001†
  • *Data of the general population are quoted from a national survey by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.16

  • †Data are analysed using χ2 test among outpatients, inpatients and general populations.