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Sex Differentials in Undernutrition: A Look at Survey Evidence

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  • Alain Marcoux

Abstract

This note seeks indirect evidence regarding possible sex biases in food intake for adults and children, through large‐scale survey findings for anthropometric indicators. Among adults, excess female undernutrition is a serious problem in view of the large populations concerned (rural China, India), but data are still needed to assess the situation in many countries. Regarding preschool children, the anti‐female biases once noted for China, India, and other countries seem to have disappeared. Where differences exist, boys fare worse than girls (probably because girls, given a less than adequate food supply, tend to cope with it better than boys). Anti‐female discriminatory practices either are limited in magnitude or apply in groups that are too few or too small to be detectable in large populations.

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  • Alain Marcoux, 2002. "Sex Differentials in Undernutrition: A Look at Survey Evidence," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 28(2), pages 275-284, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:popdev:v:28:y:2002:i:2:p:275-284
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1728-4457.2002.00275.x
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    1. Haddad, Lawrence J. & Peña, Christine & Nishida, Chizuru & Quisumbing, Agnes R. & Slack, A., 1996. "Food security and nutrition implications of intrahousehold bias: a review of literature," FCND discussion papers 19, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
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