Food inflation and child undernutrition in low and middle income countries

The 21st Century has been marked by increased volatility in food prices, with global price spikes in 2007-08, 2010-11, and again in 2021-22. The impact of food inflation on the risk of child undernutrition is not well understood, however. This study explores the potential impacts of food inflation o...

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Main Authors: Headey, Derek D., Ruel, Marie T.
Format: Artículo preliminar
Language:Inglés
Published: International Food Policy Research Institute 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/127800
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author Headey, Derek D.
Ruel, Marie T.
author_browse Headey, Derek D.
Ruel, Marie T.
author_facet Headey, Derek D.
Ruel, Marie T.
author_sort Headey, Derek D.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The 21st Century has been marked by increased volatility in food prices, with global price spikes in 2007-08, 2010-11, and again in 2021-22. The impact of food inflation on the risk of child undernutrition is not well understood, however. This study explores the potential impacts of food inflation on wasting and stunting among 1.27 million pre-school children from 44 developing countries. On average, a 5 percent increase in the real price of food increases the risk of wasting by 9 percent and severe wasting by 14 percent. These risks apply to young infants, suggesting a prenatal pathway, as well as to older children who typically experience a deterioration in diet quality in the wake of food inflation. Male children and children from poor and rural landless households are more severely impacted. Food inflation during pregnancy and the first year after birth also increases the risk of stunting for children 2-5 years of age. This evidence provides a strong rationale for interventions to prevent food inflation and mitigate its impacts on vulnerable children and their mothers.
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spelling CGSpace1278002025-12-02T21:03:13Z Food inflation and child undernutrition in low and middle income countries Headey, Derek D. Ruel, Marie T. inflation income food prices wasting disease (nutritional disorder) stunting child development child growth developing countries diet quality malnutrition macroeconomics agriculture The 21st Century has been marked by increased volatility in food prices, with global price spikes in 2007-08, 2010-11, and again in 2021-22. The impact of food inflation on the risk of child undernutrition is not well understood, however. This study explores the potential impacts of food inflation on wasting and stunting among 1.27 million pre-school children from 44 developing countries. On average, a 5 percent increase in the real price of food increases the risk of wasting by 9 percent and severe wasting by 14 percent. These risks apply to young infants, suggesting a prenatal pathway, as well as to older children who typically experience a deterioration in diet quality in the wake of food inflation. Male children and children from poor and rural landless households are more severely impacted. Food inflation during pregnancy and the first year after birth also increases the risk of stunting for children 2-5 years of age. This evidence provides a strong rationale for interventions to prevent food inflation and mitigate its impacts on vulnerable children and their mothers. 2022-11-28 2023-01-22T18:18:59Z 2023-01-22T18:18:59Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/127800 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Headey, Derek D.; and Ruel, Marie T. 2022. Food inflation and child undernutrition in low and middle income countries. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2146. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.136457.
spellingShingle inflation
income
food prices
wasting disease (nutritional disorder)
stunting
child development
child growth
developing countries
diet quality
malnutrition
macroeconomics
agriculture
Headey, Derek D.
Ruel, Marie T.
Food inflation and child undernutrition in low and middle income countries
title Food inflation and child undernutrition in low and middle income countries
title_full Food inflation and child undernutrition in low and middle income countries
title_fullStr Food inflation and child undernutrition in low and middle income countries
title_full_unstemmed Food inflation and child undernutrition in low and middle income countries
title_short Food inflation and child undernutrition in low and middle income countries
title_sort food inflation and child undernutrition in low and middle income countries
topic inflation
income
food prices
wasting disease (nutritional disorder)
stunting
child development
child growth
developing countries
diet quality
malnutrition
macroeconomics
agriculture
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/127800
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