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Gender, Birth Order, and Child Growth: Evidence from Central Asia

Author

Listed:
  • Manzura Jumaniyazova

    (TU Munich, TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology, Germany)

  • Cara Ebert

    (RWI Leibniz Institute for Economic Research, IZA Institute of Labor Economics, Germany)

  • Janina I. Steinert

    (TU Munich, TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology & TUM School of Medicine and Health, Germany)

Abstract

This paper examines how son preference shapes physical growth outcomes of children under the age of five in Central Asia, where cultural preferences favour youngest sons. In a sample of over 40,000 children aged 0-5 years in five Central Asian countries, we estimate how height-for-age and weight-forage vary by children’s birth order and gender. Our results show a strong birth order gradient in growth of equal size for boys and girls, suggesting unequal intra-household resource allocation consistent with quantity-quality trade-offs. Despite the patriarchal social structure of the included countries, our analysis finds no evidence that preferences to have sons translate into differential growth outcomes by gender.

Suggested Citation

  • Manzura Jumaniyazova & Cara Ebert & Janina I. Steinert, 2026. "Gender, Birth Order, and Child Growth: Evidence from Central Asia," Munich Papers in Political Economy 46, Munich School of Politics and Public Policy and the School of Management at the Technical University of Munich.
    • Handle: RePEc:aiw:wpaper:46
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    File URL: https://www.mgt.tum.de/fileadmin/mgt.tum.de/faculty_and_research/mppe/46_Son_preference_in_Central_Asia_fv.pdf
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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