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Poverty and childhood undernutrition in developing countries: A multi-national cohort study

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  • Petrou, Stavros
  • Kupek, Emil

Abstract

The importance of reducing childhood undernutrition has been enshrined in the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals. This study explores the relationship between alternative indicators of poverty and childhood undernutrition in developing countries within the context of a multi-national cohort study (Young Lives). Approximately 2000 children in each of four countries - Ethiopia, India (Andhra Pradesh), Peru and Vietnam - had their heights measured and were weighed when they were aged between 6 and 17 months (survey one) and again between 4.5 and 5.5 years (survey two). The anthropometric outcomes of stunted, underweight and wasted were calculated using World Health Organization 2006 reference standards. Maximum-likelihood probit estimation was employed to model the relationship within each country and survey between alternative measures of living standards (principally a wealth index developed using principal components analysis) and each anthropometric outcome. An extensive set of covariates was incorporated into the models to remove as much individual heterogeneity as possible. The fully adjusted models revealed a negative and statistically significant coefficient on wealth for all outcomes in all countries, with the exception of the outcome of wasted in India (Andhra Pradesh) and Vietnam (survey one) and the outcome of underweight in Vietnam (surveys one and two). In survey one, the partial effects of wealth on the probabilities of stunting, being underweight and wasting was to reduce them by between 1.4 and 5.1 percentage points, 1.0 and 6.4 percentage points, and 0.3 and 4.5 percentage points, respectively, with each unit (10%) increase in wealth. The partial effects of wealth on the probabilities of anthropometric outcomes were larger in the survey two models. In both surveys, children residing in the lowest wealth quintile households had significantly increased probabilities of being stunted in all four study countries and of being underweight in Ethiopia, India (Andhra Pradesh) and Peru in comparison to children residing in the highest wealth quintile households. Random effects probit models confirmed the statistical significance of increased wealth in reducing the probability of being stunted and underweight across all four study countries. We conclude that, although multi-faceted, childhood undernutrition in developing countries is strongly rooted in poverty.

Suggested Citation

  • Petrou, Stavros & Kupek, Emil, 2010. "Poverty and childhood undernutrition in developing countries: A multi-national cohort study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(7), pages 1366-1373, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:71:y:2010:i:7:p:1366-1373
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    2. Brown,Caitlin Susan & Ravallion,Martin & Van De Walle,Dominique, 2017. "Are poor individuals mainly found in poor households ? evidence using nutrition data for Africa," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8001, The World Bank.
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    4. Luca Maria Pesando, 2022. "A Four-Country Study on the Relationship Between Parental Educational Homogamy and Children’s Health from Infancy to Adolescence," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(1), pages 251-284, February.
    5. Eskander, Shaikh M.S.U. & Barbier, Edward B., 2022. "Long-term impacts of the 1970 cyclone in Bangladesh," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    6. Georgiadis, Andreas & Benny, Liza & Duc, Le Thuc & Galab, Sheikh & Reddy, Prudhvikar & Woldehanna, Tassew, 2017. "Growth recovery and faltering through early adolescence in low- and middle-income countries: Determinants and implications for cognitive development," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 81-90.
    7. Baral, Nayana & Paria, Bidur & Behera, Bhagirath & Mishra, Pulak, 2021. "Household behaviour and nutrition-sensitive agricultural practices: Experiences of smallholder farmers in Northern West Bengal, India," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 21(C).
    8. Ersilia Buonomo & Simona De Luca & Dyna Tembo & Paola Scarcella & Paola Germano & Anna Maria Doro Altan & Leonardo Palombi & Giuseppe Liotta & Karin Nielsen-Saines & Fulvio Erba & Maria Cristina Maraz, 2012. "Nutritional Rehabilitation of HIV-Exposed Infants in Malawi: Results from the Drug Resources Enhancement Against AIDS and Malnutrition Program," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-14, January.
    9. Caitlin S. Brown & Martin Ravallion & Dominique van de Walle, 2020. "Can the World’s Poor Protect Themselves from the New Coronavirus?," NBER Working Papers 27200, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Rodrigo A. Estévez & Stefan Gelcich, 2021. "Public Officials’ Knowledge of Advances and Gaps for Implementing the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries in Chile," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-17, March.

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