Anodier important overall determinant is by sex. For children in most countries, the rates of underweight are the same for both sexes. The exception is South Asia, where the rate for boys is 44 per cent, compared to 47 per cent for girls. For adults, there are indications in some countries that women are more likely to be undernourished than men because of how food is distributed within households. This has serious implications for the food security of households that depend on female earners.