Economic shocks predict increases in child wasting prevalence

In low and middle income countries macroeconomic volatility is common, and severe negative economic shocks can substantially increase poverty and food insecurity. Less well understood are the implications of these contractions for child acute malnutrition (wasting), a major risk factor for under-5 m...

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Main Authors: Headey, Derek D., Ruel, Marie T.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Springer 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/127810
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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 In low and middle income countries macroeconomic volatility is common, and severe negative economic shocks can substantially increase poverty and food insecurity. Less well understood are the implications of these contractions for child acute malnutrition (wasting), a major risk factor for under-5 mortality. This study explores the nutritional impacts of economic growth shocks over 1990–2018 by linking wasting outcomes collected for 1.256 million children from 52 countries to lagged annual changes in economic growth. Estimates suggest that a 10% annual decline in national income increases moderate/severe wasting prevalence by 14.4–17.8%. An exploration of possible mechanisms suggests negative economic shocks may increase risks of inadequate dietary diversity among children. Applying these results to the latest economic growth estimates for 2020 suggests that COVID-19 could put an additional 9.4 million preschoolers at risk of wasting, net of the effects of preventative policy actions.
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spelling CGSpace1278102024-10-25T07:59:55Z Economic shocks predict increases in child wasting prevalence Headey, Derek D. Ruel, Marie T. child wasting economic shock poverty food security covid-19 nutrition developing countries child nutrition In low and middle income countries macroeconomic volatility is common, and severe negative economic shocks can substantially increase poverty and food insecurity. Less well understood are the implications of these contractions for child acute malnutrition (wasting), a major risk factor for under-5 mortality. This study explores the nutritional impacts of economic growth shocks over 1990–2018 by linking wasting outcomes collected for 1.256 million children from 52 countries to lagged annual changes in economic growth. Estimates suggest that a 10% annual decline in national income increases moderate/severe wasting prevalence by 14.4–17.8%. An exploration of possible mechanisms suggests negative economic shocks may increase risks of inadequate dietary diversity among children. Applying these results to the latest economic growth estimates for 2020 suggests that COVID-19 could put an additional 9.4 million preschoolers at risk of wasting, net of the effects of preventative policy actions. 2022-04-27 2023-01-22T18:19:02Z 2023-01-22T18:19:02Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/127810 en https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.133786 Open Access Springer Headey, Derek D.; and Ruel, Marie T. 2022. Economic shocks predict increases in child wasting prevalence. Nature Communications 13: 2157. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29755-x
spellingShingle child wasting
economic shock
poverty
food security
covid-19
nutrition
developing countries
child nutrition
Headey, Derek D.
Ruel, Marie T.
Economic shocks predict increases in child wasting prevalence
title Economic shocks predict increases in child wasting prevalence
title_full Economic shocks predict increases in child wasting prevalence
title_fullStr Economic shocks predict increases in child wasting prevalence
title_full_unstemmed Economic shocks predict increases in child wasting prevalence
title_short Economic shocks predict increases in child wasting prevalence
title_sort economic shocks predict increases in child wasting prevalence
topic child wasting
economic shock
poverty
food security
covid-19
nutrition
developing countries
child nutrition
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/127810
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