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Who benefits more from higher household consumption? The intra-household allocation of nutrients in China

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  • Mangyo, Eiji

Abstract

Previous studies find that human capital investments in boys are less income elastic than investments in girls, attributing this result to favoritism toward boys. I show theoretically that it is plausible for more productive or favored household members to have higher income elasticities. I then investigate this question empirically, utilizing panel data on individual nutrient intake from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) to analyze how changes in household per-capita nutrient intake affect the intra-household allocation of nutrients. To deal with potential biases due to omitted variables and simultaneity, I use measures of rainfall variation as instruments. I find that nutritional intakes are more elastic for males (especially prime-age men) than for females, and significantly less elastic for the elderly.

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  • Mangyo, Eiji, 2008. "Who benefits more from higher household consumption? The intra-household allocation of nutrients in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(2), pages 296-312, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:deveco:v:86:y:2008:i:2:p:296-312
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    2. You, Jing, 2013. "The role of microcredit in older children’s nutrition: Quasi-experimental evidence from rural China," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 167-179.
    3. Lixing Li & Xiaoyu Wu, 2011. "Gender of Children, Bargaining Power, and Intrahousehold Resource Allocation in China," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 46(2), pages 295-316.
    4. Echávarri, Rebeca & Husillos, Javier, 2016. "The Missing Link Between Parents’ Preferences and Daughters’ Survival: The Moderator Effect of Societal Discrimination," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 372-385.
    5. Jean-Paul Fitoussi & Francesco Saraceno, 2008. "The intergenerational content of social spending : health care and sustainable growth in China," Sciences Po publications 2008-27, Sciences Po.
    6. Mangiavacchi, Lucia & Perali, Federico & Piccoli, Luca, 2018. "Intrahousehold Distribution In Migrant-Sending Families," Journal of Demographic Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 84(1), pages 107-148, March.
    7. Jaah, Mkupete & Fintel, Dieter von & Burger, Ronelle, 2021. "Maize Price Shock, Agriculture Production and Children Nutrition Outcomes in Tanzania," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 314974, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    8. Qiyan Zeng & Zhipeng He & Yuting Wang, 2022. "The Direct and Structure Effect of Income on Nutrition Demand of Chinese Rural Residents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-13, October.
    9. Junhong Chu & Haoming Liu & I. P. L. Png, 2018. "Nonlabor Income and Age at Marriage: Evidence From China’s Heating Policy," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 55(6), pages 2345-2370, December.
    10. Ward, Patrick S., 2016. "Transient Poverty, Poverty Dynamics, and Vulnerability to Poverty: An Empirical Analysis Using a Balanced Panel from Rural China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 541-553.
    11. Asadul Islam & Chandana Maitra & Debayan Pakrashi & Russell Smyth, 2016. "Microcredit Programme Participation and Household Food Security in Rural Bangladesh," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(2), pages 448-470, June.
    12. Patrick S. Ward & Gerald E. Shively, 2015. "Migration and Land Rental as Responses to Income Shocks in Rural China," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(4), pages 511-543, October.
    13. Fan, Linlin & Nogueira, Lia & Baylis, Katherine R., 2013. "Agricultural Market Reforms and Nutritional Transition in Rural China," 2013 Annual Meeting, August 4-6, 2013, Washington, D.C. 150203, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    14. Li Zhou & Xiaohong Chen & Lei Lei, 2018. "Intra-Household Allocation of Nutrients in an Opening China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-24, April.
    15. Lucia Mangiavacchi & Luca Piccoli, 2017. "Gender inequalities among adults and children in collective households," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2017-109, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
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