Constructing a nutrition deficiency index: Applications for the Democratic Republic of the Congo under a decade of humanitarian crises
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is perennially plagued by prolonged phases of poverty, conflict, and increased internal migration, as well as pandemic outbreaks such as Ebola and COVID-19, and limited livelihood opportunities. Such unexpected or catastrophic events have rendered household...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Artículo preliminar |
| Language: | Inglés |
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International Food Policy Research Institute
2021
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/143445 |
| _version_ | 1855523132272541696 |
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| author | Mirindi, Patrice L. Das, Mousumi Mirindi, Patrick N. Babu, Suresh Chandra |
| author_browse | Babu, Suresh Chandra Das, Mousumi Mirindi, Patrice L. Mirindi, Patrick N. |
| author_facet | Mirindi, Patrice L. Das, Mousumi Mirindi, Patrick N. Babu, Suresh Chandra |
| author_sort | Mirindi, Patrice L. |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is perennially plagued by prolonged phases of poverty, conflict, and increased internal migration, as well as pandemic outbreaks such as Ebola and COVID-19, and limited livelihood opportunities. Such unexpected or catastrophic events have rendered households vulnerable and resulted in poor health outcomes. Given this background, we intend to analyze the nutritional profile of households for a period spanning almost a decade using the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES). We construct a composite nutrition deficiency index (NDI), capturing intake of 14 different macro- and micronutrients (which we refer to as dimensions)—namely, calories, protein, calcium, zinc, folate, thiamine, niacin, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin D, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and vitamin E—using the popular Alkire-Foster methodology. This methodology, usually used to construct multidimensional poverty indexes, in this case helps measure the incidence, intensity, and combined extent of multinutrient deprivation. DRC’s values on the multidimensional NDI vary regionally from 0.13 to 0.73. Urban DRC performs worse than rural DRC. Regions subject to the conflict and Ebola crises are the worst-affected of the nutritionally deprived regions. Deficiency in calorie and protein intake contributes to the highest values of the NDI, but we also find evidence of a double burden of malnutrition, with households lacking consumption of both macro- and micronutrients. South Kivu is the worst-performing of all regions and Mongala the best. The northern parts of DRC have fewer nutritionally deprived households, as compared with the central and southwestern parts. Our main recommendation is to help improve market access in urban areas so that people consume a more diverse diet. In rural areas, the government should support improving nutrition-sensitive agricultural production. Although the World Food Programme has a sustained presence in the country, uplifting households from severe hunger, active participation by the government and collaboration with multiple stakeholders is called for. |
| format | Artículo preliminar |
| id | CGSpace143445 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publishDateRange | 2021 |
| publishDateSort | 2021 |
| publisher | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| publisherStr | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1434452025-12-02T21:02:52Z Constructing a nutrition deficiency index: Applications for the Democratic Republic of the Congo under a decade of humanitarian crises Mirindi, Patrice L. Das, Mousumi Mirindi, Patrick N. Babu, Suresh Chandra expenditure crises nutritional status surveys households capacity development nutrition emergencies household consumption nutrition deficiencies The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is perennially plagued by prolonged phases of poverty, conflict, and increased internal migration, as well as pandemic outbreaks such as Ebola and COVID-19, and limited livelihood opportunities. Such unexpected or catastrophic events have rendered households vulnerable and resulted in poor health outcomes. Given this background, we intend to analyze the nutritional profile of households for a period spanning almost a decade using the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES). We construct a composite nutrition deficiency index (NDI), capturing intake of 14 different macro- and micronutrients (which we refer to as dimensions)—namely, calories, protein, calcium, zinc, folate, thiamine, niacin, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin D, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and vitamin E—using the popular Alkire-Foster methodology. This methodology, usually used to construct multidimensional poverty indexes, in this case helps measure the incidence, intensity, and combined extent of multinutrient deprivation. DRC’s values on the multidimensional NDI vary regionally from 0.13 to 0.73. Urban DRC performs worse than rural DRC. Regions subject to the conflict and Ebola crises are the worst-affected of the nutritionally deprived regions. Deficiency in calorie and protein intake contributes to the highest values of the NDI, but we also find evidence of a double burden of malnutrition, with households lacking consumption of both macro- and micronutrients. South Kivu is the worst-performing of all regions and Mongala the best. The northern parts of DRC have fewer nutritionally deprived households, as compared with the central and southwestern parts. Our main recommendation is to help improve market access in urban areas so that people consume a more diverse diet. In rural areas, the government should support improving nutrition-sensitive agricultural production. Although the World Food Programme has a sustained presence in the country, uplifting households from severe hunger, active participation by the government and collaboration with multiple stakeholders is called for. 2021-02-01 2024-05-22T12:14:12Z 2024-05-22T12:14:12Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/143445 en https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.133433 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-019-00958-3 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-020-01067-2 Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Mirindi, Patrice L.; Das, Mousumi; Mirindi, Patrick N.; and Babu, Suresh Chandra. 2021. Constructing a nutrition deficiency index: Applications for the Democratic Republic of the Congo under a decade of humanitarian crises. IFPRI Discussion Paper 1999. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.134251. |
| spellingShingle | expenditure crises nutritional status surveys households capacity development nutrition emergencies household consumption nutrition deficiencies Mirindi, Patrice L. Das, Mousumi Mirindi, Patrick N. Babu, Suresh Chandra Constructing a nutrition deficiency index: Applications for the Democratic Republic of the Congo under a decade of humanitarian crises |
| title | Constructing a nutrition deficiency index: Applications for the Democratic Republic of the Congo under a decade of humanitarian crises |
| title_full | Constructing a nutrition deficiency index: Applications for the Democratic Republic of the Congo under a decade of humanitarian crises |
| title_fullStr | Constructing a nutrition deficiency index: Applications for the Democratic Republic of the Congo under a decade of humanitarian crises |
| title_full_unstemmed | Constructing a nutrition deficiency index: Applications for the Democratic Republic of the Congo under a decade of humanitarian crises |
| title_short | Constructing a nutrition deficiency index: Applications for the Democratic Republic of the Congo under a decade of humanitarian crises |
| title_sort | constructing a nutrition deficiency index applications for the democratic republic of the congo under a decade of humanitarian crises |
| topic | expenditure crises nutritional status surveys households capacity development nutrition emergencies household consumption nutrition deficiencies |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/143445 |
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