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Explaining Income-Related Inequalities in Dietary Knowledge: Evidence from the China Health and Nutrition Survey

Author

Listed:
  • Yongjian Xu

    (School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China)

  • Siyu Zhu

    (School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China)

  • Tao Zhang

    (Department of Health Management, School of Medicine and Health Management, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
    Medical College, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China)

  • Duolao Wang

    (Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK)

  • Junteng Hu

    (School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China)

  • Jianmin Gao

    (School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China)

  • Zhongliang Zhou

    (School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China)

Abstract

Lack of adequate dietary knowledge may result in poor health conditions. This study aims to measure income-related inequality in dietary knowledge, and to explain the sources of the inequality. Data were from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) conducted in 2015. A summary of the dietary knowledge score and dietary guideline awareness was used to measure the dietary knowledge of respondents. The concentration index was employed as a measure of socioeconomic inequality and was decomposed into its determining factors. The study found that the proportion of respondents who correctly answered questions on dietary knowledge was significantly low for some questions. Compared to rural residents, urban residents had a higher proportion of correctly answered dietary knowledge questions. In addition, there are pro-rich inequalities in dietary knowledge. This observed inequality is determined not only by individual factors but also high-level area factors. Our study recommends that future dietary education programs could take different strategies for individuals with different educational levels and focus more on disadvantaged people. It would be beneficial to consider local dietary habits in developing education materials.

Suggested Citation

  • Yongjian Xu & Siyu Zhu & Tao Zhang & Duolao Wang & Junteng Hu & Jianmin Gao & Zhongliang Zhou, 2020. "Explaining Income-Related Inequalities in Dietary Knowledge: Evidence from the China Health and Nutrition Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-15, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:2:p:532-:d:308745
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Matthieu Clément & Céline Bonnefond, 2014. "Does social class affect nutrition knowledge and food preferences among Chinese urban adults?," Post-Print hal-02147996, HAL.
    2. Yongjian Xu & Jie Ma & Na Wu & Xiaojing Fan & Tao Zhang & Zhongliang Zhou & Jianmin Gao & Jianping Ren & Gang Chen, 2018. "Catastrophic health expenditure in households with chronic disease patients: A pre-post comparison of the New Health Care Reform in Shaanxi Province, China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(3), pages 1-13, March.
    3. Baltica Cabieses & Richard Cookson & Manuel Espinoza & Gillian Santorelli & Iris Delgado, 2015. "Did Socioeconomic Inequality in Self-Reported Health in Chile Fall after the Equity-Based Healthcare Reform of 2005? A Concentration Index Decomposition Analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(9), pages 1-21, September.
    4. Matthieu Clement & Céline Bonnefond, 2015. "Does social class affect nutrition knowledge and food preferences among chinese urban adults?," Working Papers hal-02949035, HAL.
    5. Matthieu Clément & Céline Bonnefond, 2014. "Does social class affect nutrition knowledge and food preferences among Chinese urban adults?," Post-Print hal-02147996, HAL.
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    Cited by:

    1. Shizhen Wang & Ying Yang & Runhu Hu & Hongfei Long & Ni Wang & Quan Wang & Zongfu Mao, 2020. "Trends and Associated Factors of Dietary Knowledge among Chinese Older Residents: Results from the China Health and Nutrition Survey 2004–2015," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-13, October.
    2. Hongyun Zheng & Wanglin Ma & Yanzhi Guo, 2023. "Does nutrition knowledge training improve dietary diversity and nutrition intake? Insights from rural China," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(S1), pages 1417-1436, December.
    3. Lei Li & Yilin Zheng & Shaojun Ma, 2022. "Indoor Air Purification and Residents’ Self-Rated Health: Evidence from the China Health and Nutrition Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-17, May.
    4. Yangyang Sun & Daxin Dong & Yulian Ding, 2021. "The Impact of Dietary Knowledge on Health: Evidence from the China Health and Nutrition Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-17, April.
    5. Yongjian Xu & Siyu Zhu & Yiting Zhou & Andi Pramono & Zhongliang Zhou, 2020. "Changing Income-Related Inequality in Daily Nutrients Intake: A Longitudinal Analysis from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-16, October.

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