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Household size, food intake and anthropometric status of school-age children in a highland Mexican area

Author

Listed:
  • Pelto, Gretel H.
  • Urgello, Jocelyn
  • Allen, Lindsay H.
  • Chavez, Adolfo
  • Martinez, Homero
  • Meneses, Luzmaria
  • Capacchione, Constance
  • Backstrand, Jeffrey

Abstract

Large household size is widely regarded as a risk factor for malnutrition in developing countries, particularly for infants and young children. This study examines the extent to which household size is related to nutritional status in school-age children in the Solis Valley in highland Mexico. The relationships of food intake, anthropometric measures, and household size are assessed in a sample of 110 children (7-9 years of age), who were followed longitudinally for a minimum of one year as part of the Collaborative Research Support Program on Food Intake and Human Function. Diets in the valley are characterized by very low intake of animal food products and are heavily dependent on maize, which is primarily home-produced. Growth faltering is pervasive; the mean Z score for height-for-age in the sample is -1.6 of the NCHS reference standard. Children from larger households are significantly shorter and consume diets of poorer quality, as assessed by intake of foods from animal sources. These relationships remain statistically significant in regression analyses that control for household economic status. It therefore appears that the resources available to households in the Solis Valley are inadequate to buffer children in even more advantaged households from the stresses of maintaining large families.

Suggested Citation

  • Pelto, Gretel H. & Urgello, Jocelyn & Allen, Lindsay H. & Chavez, Adolfo & Martinez, Homero & Meneses, Luzmaria & Capacchione, Constance & Backstrand, Jeffrey, 1991. "Household size, food intake and anthropometric status of school-age children in a highland Mexican area," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 33(10), pages 1135-1140, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:33:y:1991:i:10:p:1135-1140
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    Cited by:

    1. Rupa, Jesmin Ara & Umberger, Wendy J. & Zeng, Di, 2019. "Does food market modernisation lead to improved dietary diversity and diet quality for urban Vietnamese households?," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 63(3), July.
    2. Gordillo, Gustavo & Winters, Paul C. & Corral, Leonardo, 2000. "Food Insecurity and Vulnerability in Latin America and the Caribbean," Working Papers 12900, University of New England, School of Economics.
    3. Karen L Kramer & Amanda Veile & Erik Otárola-Castillo, 2016. "Sibling Competition & Growth Tradeoffs. Biological vs. Statistical Significance," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(3), pages 1-17, March.
    4. Andrea Maugeri & Martina Barchitta & Valerio Fiore & Giuliana Rosta & Giuliana Favara & Claudia La Mastra & Maria Clara La Rosa & Roberta Magnano San Lio & Antonella Agodi, 2019. "Determinants of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Study in Women from Southern Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-14, August.

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