*2.4. Ethics Statement*

The LASI received ethical endorsement from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, and the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai. Entrants were given a prospectus containing the information on the aims and objectives of the survey, confidentiality of their personal information, and safety of health assessment. Written consent forms were subjugated at household and individual levels. The LASI employed informed written consent forms. This study is based on anonymous secondary data from the LASI; hence, no ethical concerns arise.
