IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v119y2020ics0190740920320211.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

An analysis of the nutritional status of left-behind children in rural China and the impact mechanisms of child malnutrition

Author

Listed:
  • Wu, Yichao
  • Guo, Zhenli

Abstract

With the rapid process of urbanization in China, a large wave of rural labor force has migrated to cities, leaving their children behind in villages. As a new vulnerable group, left-behind children’s nutrition is facing more uncertainties. This paper investigates how left-behind status affects child malnutrition including stunting and underweight, using China Health and Nutrition Survey datasets (2004–2015). The multivariate regression results show that children (0–15 years) with mother working out suffer higher hazards of stunting and underweight than non-left-behind children, which highlights the essential role of mother as a caregiver. In addition, this study also employs the structural equation model to illustrate the multilevel impact mechanisms. Child individual factors (age, gender) and parental genetic factors (height, weight) have direct effects on child stunting and underweight rates, whereas parents’ educational attainment influences indirectly through the mediator of family income and household living facilities.

Suggested Citation

  • Wu, Yichao & Guo, Zhenli, 2020. "An analysis of the nutritional status of left-behind children in rural China and the impact mechanisms of child malnutrition," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:119:y:2020:i:c:s0190740920320211
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105598
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740920320211
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105598?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bredenkamp, Caryn, 2009. "Policy-related determinants of child nutritional status in China: The effect of only-child status and access to healthcare," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(10), pages 1531-1538, November.
    2. Jalan, Jyotsna & Ravallion, Martin, 2003. "Does piped water reduce diarrhea for children in rural India?," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 112(1), pages 153-173, January.
    3. Baeten, Steef & Van Ourti, Tom & van Doorslaer, Eddy, 2013. "Rising inequalities in income and health in China: Who is left behind?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 1214-1229.
    4. Chen, Zhuo & Eastwood, David B. & Yen, Steven T., 2007. "A decade's story of childhood malnutrition inequality in China: Where you live does matter," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 139-154.
    5. Janet Currie & Mark Stabile, 2003. "Socioeconomic Status and Child Health: Why Is the Relationship Stronger for Older Children?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 93(5), pages 1813-1823, December.
    6. Goode, Alison & Mavromaras, Kostas & zhu, Rong, 2014. "Family income and child health in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 152-165.
    7. Ho Lun Wong & Yaojiang Shi & Renfu Luo & Linxiu Zhang & Scott Rozelle, 2014. "Improving the Health and Education of Elementary Schoolchildren in Rural China: Iron Supplementation Versus Nutritional Training for Parents," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(4), pages 502-519, April.
    8. Wu, Yichao, 2019. "What is known about children's undernutrition and health levels in China – An empirical analysis from 1991 to 2009," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 372-380.
    9. Allin, Sara & Stabile, Mark, 2012. "Socioeconomic status and child health: what is the role of health care, health conditions, injuries and maternal health?," Health Economics, Policy and Law, Cambridge University Press, vol. 7(2), pages 227-242, April.
    10. Luo, Renfu & Emmers, Dorien & Warrinnier, Nele & Rozelle, Scott & Sylvia, Sean, 2019. "Using community health workers to deliver a scalable integrated parenting program in rural China: A cluster-randomized controlled trial," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).
    11. Douglas Almond & Yuyu Chen & Michael Greenstone & Hongbin Li, 2009. "Winter Heating or Clean Air? Unintended Impacts of China's Huai River Policy," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(2), pages 184-190, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Wang, Yajun & Shen, Zheng & Liu, Wenhe & Liu, Yang & Tang, Bin, 2024. "Will the situation of Left-Behind children improve when their parents Return? evidence from China," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    2. Bart Cockx & Jinkai Li & Erga Luo, 2023. "The Long-Term Impact of Parental Migration on the Health of Young Left-Behind Children," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2023019, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
    3. Wang, Haining & Cheng, Zhiming, 2022. "Kids eat free: School feeding and family spending on education," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 196-212.
    4. Wei, Binhui & Wang, Runtao & Lin, Xiakaifeng & Zhao, Chunkai & Luo, Mingzhong, 2024. "The long-term effect of childhood left-behind experiences on entrepreneurial activities in adulthood: Empirical evidence from China," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    5. Fang, Junyan & Wen, Zhonglin & Ouyang, Jinying & Huang, Guomin & Liu, Xiqin, 2022. "The reciprocal longitudinal relationship between body mass index and subjective well-being in China," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 297(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wu, Yichao, 2019. "What is known about children's undernutrition and health levels in China – An empirical analysis from 1991 to 2009," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 372-380.
    2. Sepehri, Ardeshir & Guliani, Harminder, 2015. "Socioeconomic status and children's health: Evidence from a low-income country," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 23-31.
    3. Yongqing Dong & Quheng Deng & Shaoping Li, 2022. "The Health Inequality of Children in China: A Regression-Based Decomposition Analysis," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(1), pages 137-159, February.
    4. Apouey, Bénédicte & Geoffard, Pierre-Yves, 2013. "Family income and child health in the UK," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 715-727.
    5. Liu, Hong & Fang, Hai & Zhao, Zhong, 2013. "Urban–rural disparities of child health and nutritional status in China from 1989 to 2006," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 294-309.
    6. Swaminathan, Harini & Sharma, Anurag & Shah, Narendra G., 2019. "Does the relationship between income and child health differ across income groups? Evidence from India," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 57-73.
    7. Rasheda Khanam & Hong Son Nghiem & Luke Brian Connelly, 2014. "What Roles Do Contemporaneous And Cumulative Incomes Play In The Income–Child Health Gradient For Young Children? Evidence From An Australian Panel," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(8), pages 879-893, August.
    8. Owen O'Donnell & Eddy Van Doorslaer & Tom Van Ourti, 2013. "Health and Inequality," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 13-170/V, Tinbergen Institute.
    9. Kartseva, Marina, 2023. "Income gradient in children's health in Russia: An empirical analysis," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 71, pages 39-62.
    10. Yue Zhang & Xiaodong Zheng, 2022. "Internal migration and child health: An investigation of health disparities between migrant children and left-behind children in China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(3), pages 1-15, March.
    11. Wang, Haining & Cheng, Zhiming, 2022. "Kids eat free: School feeding and family spending on education," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 196-212.
    12. Yunwei Chen & Sean Sylvia & Sarah-Eve Dill & Scott Rozelle, 2022. "Structural Determinants of Child Health in Rural China: The Challenge of Creating Health Equity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-12, October.
    13. Luo, Yaping & Wu, Jianxian & Xu, Ying, 2022. "Can self-governance tackle the water commons? — Causal evidence of the effect of rural water pollution treatment on farmers' health in China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    14. Siwei Guo & Zhaopeng Qu & Weizeng Sun & Ming‐ang Zhang, 2024. "Special economic zone and infant mortality: Evidence from China," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(8), pages 1660-1681, August.
    15. Zhang, Zhenhua & Zhang, Guoxing & Su, Bin, 2022. "The spatial impacts of air pollution and socio-economic status on public health: Empirical evidence from China," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    16. Grossman, Michael, 2006. "Education and Nonmarket Outcomes," Handbook of the Economics of Education, in: Erik Hanushek & F. Welch (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Education, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 10, pages 577-633, Elsevier.
    17. Junhui Shi & Fang Wang & Huan Wang, 2022. "The Effect of Household Technology on Child Health: Evidence from China’s “Home Appliances Going to the Countryside” Policy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-19, September.
    18. Zhang, Jing & Xu, Lixin Colin, 2016. "The long-run effects of treated water on education: The rural drinking water program in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 1-15.
    19. Anne Nolan & Richard Layte, 2014. "Socio-economic Inequalities in Child Health in Ireland," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 45(1), pages 25-64.
    20. Xu, Lixin Colin & Zhang, Jing, 2014. "Water quality, brawn, and education: the rural drinking water program in China," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7054, The World Bank.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:119:y:2020:i:c:s0190740920320211. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.