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Household headship and child nutrition: A case study in Western Kenya

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  • Onyango, Adelheid
  • Tucker, Katherine
  • Eisemon, Thomas

Abstract

The effect of female household headship on child nutrition has been hypothesized by some to be negative, based on the assumption that mothers alone will be poorer and will have greater demands on their time and resources. On the other hand, there is some evidence in Kenya that the nutritional status of children of female heads may be better than that of children of male heads, suggesting that when women have more control over resources, more goes to the children. In Kenya, de facto female headship is common due to male labor migration. This study examines the relationship between child nutrition and de facto female vs male household headship in western Kenya through the examination of family income and decision making patterns. Women in male-headed households had greater financial responsibility for household maintenance. Female heads assumed more farming responsibilities and had higher remittances from husbands. Husbands of female heads purchased food and other goods in the city for use by the household. Male headed households produced more food crops and used a larger proportion of them for home consumption. In this study, children of female heads consumed a greater variety of foods. Despite a greater prevalence of stunting, there was a lower prevalence of low weight for age among children of female heads. However, in statistical analyses, headship did not relate significantly to nutritional intake or status. In attempting to understand the possible factors influencing the relationship between headship and nutritional status, we found trade-offs in the ways families were coping, which appeared to balance some of the negative and positive effects of each situation.

Suggested Citation

  • Onyango, Adelheid & Tucker, Katherine & Eisemon, Thomas, 1994. "Household headship and child nutrition: A case study in Western Kenya," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 39(12), pages 1633-1639, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:39:y:1994:i:12:p:1633-1639
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    Cited by:

    1. Julius Manda & Cornelis Gardebroek & Makaiko Khonje & Arega Alene & Munyaradzi Mutenje & Menale Kassie, 2016. "Determinants of child nutritional status in the eastern province of Zambia: the role of improved maize varieties," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 8(1), pages 239-253, February.
    2. Shelley Clark & Dana Hamplová, 2013. "Single Motherhood and Child Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Life Course Perspective," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 50(5), pages 1521-1549, October.
    3. Richards, Esther & Theobald, Sally & George, Asha & Kim, Julia C. & Rudert, Christiane & Jehan, Kate & Tolhurst, Rachel, 2013. "Going beyond the surface: Gendered intra-household bargaining as a social determinant of child health and nutrition in low and middle income countries," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 24-33.
    4. Nicholson, Charles F. & Mwangi, Lucy & Staal, Steven J. & Thornton, Philip K., 2003. "Dairy Cow Ownership And Child Nutritional Status In Kenya," Research Bulletins 122122, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management.
    5. Nicholson, Charles F. & Mwangi, Lucy & Staal, Steven J. & Thornton, Philip K., 2003. "Dairy Cow Ownership and Child Nutritional Status in Kenya," 2003 Annual meeting, July 27-30, Montreal, Canada 22154, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    6. Lea Smidt, 2019. "Education, cooperative conflicts and child malnutrition—a gender-sensitive analysis of the determinants of wasting in Sudan," Working Papers 186, International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth.
    7. Engle, Patrice L. & Menon, Purnima & Haddad, Lawrence, 1999. "Care and Nutrition: Concepts and Measurement," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 27(8), pages 1309-1337, August.
    8. Engle, Patrice L. & Menon, Purnima & Garrett, James L. & Slack, Alison T., 1997. "Developing a research and action agenda for examining urbanization and caregiving," FCND discussion papers 28, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    9. Thomas Lemma Argaw & Euan Phimister & Deborah Roberts, 2021. "From Farm to Kitchen: How Gender Affects Production Diversity and the Dietary Intake of Farm Households in Ethiopia," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(1), pages 268-292, February.

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