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Effects of Food Price Shocks on Child Malnutrition: The Mozambican Experience 2008/09

Author

Listed:
  • Arndt, Channing

    (Institute for Development Economics Research, United Nations University:)

  • Hussain, M. Azhar

    (Department of Society and Globalisation, Roskilde University)

  • Salvucci, Vincenzo

    (Department of Economics, University of Copenhagen)

  • Østerdal, Lars Peter

    (Department of Business and Economics, and COHERE, University of Southern)

Abstract

: A propitiously timed household survey carried out in Mozambique over the period 2008/09 permits us to study the relationship between pronounced shifts in food prices and child nutrition status. We focus on child malnutrition status in different survey quarters characterized by very different food price inflation rates. We find that the prevalence of wasting and underweight amongst under-five children is significantly lower in the fourth quarter, when the inflation rate for basic food products is low. Consistent with a short run shock such as a price shock, stunting rates and height-for-age Z-scores, which reflect longer run factors, are insignificantly different across quarters. We conclude that the best available evidence points to the food and fuel price crisis as substantially increasing malnutrition amongst under-five children in Mozambique during the period of the shock.

Suggested Citation

  • Arndt, Channing & Hussain, M. Azhar & Salvucci, Vincenzo & Østerdal, Lars Peter, 2015. "Effects of Food Price Shocks on Child Malnutrition: The Mozambican Experience 2008/09," DaCHE discussion papers 2015:4, University of Southern Denmark, Dache - Danish Centre for Health Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:sduhec:2015_004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    food prices; inflation; child malnutrition; Mozambique;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C51 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Construction and Estimation
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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