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Table 1 Description of potential demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral predictors of low IQ and unadjusted associations*

From: Early life determinants of low IQ at age 6 in children from the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort: a predictive approach

Characteristic

Rate n (%)

Low IQ n (%)

Unadjusted OR (95% CI)

All

3523 (100)

594 (16.9)

 

Mother’s and father’s skin color (n = 3518)

  

p = 0.0000

White mother and father or either one

2736 (77.8)

373 (13.6)

1

Non-white mother and father

782 (22.2)

219 (28.0)

2.5 (2.0–3.0)

Teenage parents (n = 3522)

  

p = 0.0007

Neither

2776 (78.8)

436 (15.7)

1

Both or either one

746 (21.2)

157 (21.1)

1.4 (1.2–1.8)

Mother with a partner (n = 3522)

  

p = 0.0069

No

556 (15.8)

116 (20.9)

1.4 (1.1–1.7)

Yes

2966 (84.2)

477 (16.1)

1

Father employed at the child’s birth (n = 3445)

  

p = 0.0000

No

590 (17.1)

155 (26.3)

2.1 (1.7–2.6)

Yes

2855 (82.9)

412 (14.4)

1

Mother employed between pregnancy and the child’s first 12 months of life (n = 3456)

  

p = 0.0000

No

1645 (47.6)

359 (21.8)

2.0 (1.7–2.4)

Employed either during pregnancy or the child’s first 12 months of life

1811 (52.4)

220 (12.2)

1

Household income at the child’s birth (n = 3522)

  

p = 0.0000

One or less than one monthly minimum wage

823 (23.4)

248 (30.1)

7.6 (5.3–11.1)

Up to 2 monthly minimum wages

1041 (29.6)

213 (20.5)

4.5 (3.1–6.6)

Up to 4 monthly minimum wages

1004 (28.5)

97 (9.7)

1.9 (1.3–2.8)

More than 4 monthly minimum wages

654 (18.6)

35 (5.4)

1

Maternal education (years of schooling) (n = 3490)

  

p = 0.0000

0–4

527 (15.1)

197 (37.4)

9.4 (7.1–12.4)

5–8

1458 (41.8)

306 (21.0)

4.2 (3.3–5.3)

9 or more

1505 (43.1)

90 (6.0)

1

Number of siblings at the child’s birth (n = 3522)

  

p = 0.0000

Two or less

3149 (89.4)

454 (14.4)

1

Three or more

373 (10.6)

139 (37.3)

3.5 (2.8–4.4)

Number of persons per room at age 12 months (n = 3423)

  

p = 0.0000

<3

1687 (49.3)

190 (11.3)

1

≥3

1736 (50.7)

384 (22.1)

2.2 (1.9–2.7)

Maternal level of physical activity during and after pregnancy (n = 3522)

  

p = 0.0000

Physically inactive

2844 (80.8)

535 (18.8)

2.5 (1.9–3.3)

Active either during or after pregnancy

678 (19.2)

58 (8.6)

1

Maternal and paternal smoking during pregnancy (n = 3522)

  

p = 0.0000

None

1982 (56.3)

242 (12.2)

1

At least one parent smoked

1540 (43.7)

351 (22.8)

2.1 (1.7–2.8)

Maternal smoking during the child’s first year of life (n = 3404)

  

p = 0.0000

No

2336 (68.6)

330 (14.1)

1

Smoked

1068 (31.4)

247 (23.1)

1.8 (1.5–2.2)

Number of father-child activities at age 12 months (n = 3424)

  

p = 0.0008

0–2

568 (16.6)

117 (20.6)

1.8 (1.3–2.5)

3–6

2288 (66.8)

387 (16.9)

1.4 (1.1–1.9)

7 activities**

568 (16.6)

70 (12.3)

1

Childcare during the first year of life (n = 3523)

  

p = 0.0008

No

3353 (95.2)

580 (17.3)

2.3 (1.3–4.1)

Yes

170 (4.8)

14 (8.2)

1

  1. *Logistic regression analysis in children age 6. The 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort Study.
  2. **Score estimated from the mother’s reports of the father spending time with the child feeding, diapering, bathing soothing during bedtime, playing, tending or strolling.
  3. CI = confidence intervals; OR = odds ratios; IQ = intelligence quotient.