Browsing by Subject "Bangladeshi household nutrition"
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Item What influences within-household differences in adult nutritional status? : findings from panel data in Bangladesh(2018-05) Ismail, Ghida Alaa; Lentz, Erin C.; Coffey, DianeIn Bangladesh, rates of child undernutrition are improving, although still high. However, we know less about undernutrition in adults. The aim of the study is to understand adult members of the household’s nutritional status and intra-household heterogeneity, which can shed light on the efficiency of policies and programs that equate the well-being of the individual to the average well-being of the household. Using the six-year panel Village Dynamics in South Asia (VDSA) data from 2009 to 2014, I examine the relationship between adults’, aged between 20 and 60 years, nutritional status, as measured by the body mass index (BMI), and various demographic, livelihood and gender parity factors. I also attempt to identify any yearly changes in nutritional outcomes in the households from 2011 to 2014, and factors that might have induced these changes. Furthermore, I investigate intra-household heterogeneity and inequalities among individuals in the household and attempt to understand the drivers of intra-household inequality across time in nutritional status by using the ratio of women’s BMI to men heads’ BMI as outcome of analysis. I find that there exists intra-household heterogeneity that follows an age trend and depend on each member’s position in the family and bargaining power. Moreover, contrary to what is argued in previous literature, women do not face greater risk of undernourishment than men. Therefore, research on intra-household inequalities should look beyond gender factors. I also find that very few factors have been successful in changing members’ nutritional status across years as well as moving individuals out of undernourishment and reducing intra-household nutritional disparities. Furthermore, while certain empowerment and bargaining factors might positively impact some members in the household, they can also fail in contributing to the nutritional status of other members and in reducing intra-household disparities. Therefore, programs should be designed with care and be specifically targeted to reduce disparities considering intra-household dynamics.