IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i7p3736-d529578.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Impact of Dietary Knowledge on Health: Evidence from the China Health and Nutrition Survey

Author

Listed:
  • Yangyang Sun

    (School of Business Administration, Faculty of Business Administration, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China)

  • Daxin Dong

    (School of Business Administration, Faculty of Business Administration, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China)

  • Yulian Ding

    (School of Business Administration, Faculty of Business Administration, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China)

Abstract

Promoting a healthy diet through education is part of the Healthy China 2030 action plan. However, studies examining how dietary knowledge affects public health in China are sparse. This study employs multiple waves of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) data to examine the impacts of dietary knowledge on Chinese adults’ health, with a particular emphasis on how the impacts of dietary knowledge vary across different demographic groups. Moreover, we contribute to the literature by incorporating the spouse’s dietary knowledge into the analysis framework to inspect the relationship between a spouse’s dietary knowledge and an individual’s health. Our results indicate that dietary knowledge significantly improves an individual’s health status. However, there is no evidence that an individual’s health is influenced by his/her spouse’s dietary knowledge. Moreover, we find that individuals with a lower level of education and rural residents benefit more from increasing dietary knowledge. Policy implications of this study are also discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:7:p:3736-:d:529578
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/7/3736/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/7/3736/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Clark, Andrew E. & Etile, Fabrice, 2006. "Don't give up on me baby: Spousal correlation in smoking behaviour," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 958-978, September.
    2. Xie, Shiqing & Mo, Taiping, 2014. "The impact of education on health in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 1-18.
    3. 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.
    4. Matthieu Clément & Céline Bonnefond, 2014. "Does social class affect nutrition knowledge and food preferences among Chinese urban adults?," Post-Print hal-02147996, HAL.
    5. Meyler, Deanna & Stimpson, Jim P. & Peek, M. Kristen, 2007. "Health concordance within couples: A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 64(11), pages 2297-2310, June.
    6. Sekabira, Haruna & Qaim, Matin, 2017. "Can Mobile Phones Improve Gender Equality and Nutrition? Panel Data Evidence from Farm Households in Uganda," GlobalFood Discussion Papers 256215, Georg-August-Universitaet Goettingen, GlobalFood, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development.
    7. Jason Fletcher & Ryne Marksteiner, 2017. "Causal Spousal Health Spillover Effects and Implications for Program Evaluation," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 9(4), pages 144-166, November.
    8. Qing Wang & John A. Rizzo & Hai Fang, 2018. "Changes in Smoking Behaviors following Exposure to Health Shocks in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-11, December.
    9. Zhang, Jing, 2012. "The impact of water quality on health: Evidence from the drinking water infrastructure program in rural China," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 122-134.
    10. Olga Yakusheva & Kandice A. Kapinos & Daniel Eisenberg, 2014. "Estimating Heterogeneous and Hierarchical Peer Effects on Body Weight Using Roommate Assignments as a Natural Experiment," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 49(1), pages 234-261.
    11. Xuezheng Qin & Jay Pan, 2016. "The Medical Cost Attributable to Obesity and Overweight in China: Estimation Based on Longitudinal Surveys," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(10), pages 1291-1311, October.
    12. Ren, Yanjun & Li, Hui & Wang, Xiaobing, 2019. "Family income and nutrition-related health: Evidence from food consumption in China," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 232(C), pages 58-76.
    13. Lei, Xiaoyan & Yin, Nina & Zhao, Yaohui, 2012. "Socioeconomic status and chronic diseases: The case of hypertension in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 105-121.
    14. Shimokawa, Satoru, 2013. "When does dietary knowledge matter to obesity and overweight prevention?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 35-46.
    15. Schroeter, Christiane & Lusk, Jayson L., 2008. "Economic Factors and Body Weight: An Empirical Analysis," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 40(2), pages 523-538, August.
    16. Matthieu Clement & Céline Bonnefond, 2015. "Does social class affect nutrition knowledge and food preferences among chinese urban adults?," Working Papers hal-02949035, HAL.
    17. Mossey, J.M. & Shapiro, E., 1982. "Self-rated health: a predictor of mortality among the elderly," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 72(8), pages 800-808.
    18. Sekabira, Haruna & Qaim, Matin, 2017. "Can mobile phones improve gender equality and nutrition? Panel data evidence from farm households in Uganda," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 95-103.
    19. Matthieu Clément & Céline Bonnefond, 2014. "Does social class affect nutrition knowledge and food preferences among Chinese urban adults?," Post-Print hal-02147996, HAL.
    20. Zhao, Meng & Konishi, Yoshifumi & Glewwe, Paul, 2013. "Does information on health status lead to a healthier lifestyle? Evidence from China on the effect of hypertension diagnosis on food consumption," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 367-385.
    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. 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.

    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. Ren, Yanjun & Castro Campos, Bente & Peng, Yanling & Glauben, Thomas, 2021. "Nutrition transition with accelerating urbanization? Empirical evidence from rural China," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 13(3).
    2. Ren, Yanjun & Li, Hui & Wang, Xiaobing, 2019. "Family income and nutrition-related health: Evidence from food consumption in China," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 232(C), pages 58-76.
    3. Liu, Jian & Ren, Yanjun & Glauben, Thomas, 2021. "The effect of income inequality on nutritional outcomes: Evidence from rural China," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 22(3), pages 125-143.
    4. 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.
    5. Chen, Qihui & Hu, Yue & Zhang, Bo, 2022. "Effects of Chronic Disease Diagnoses on Alcohol Consumption among Elderly Individuals—Longitudinal Evidence from China," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322083, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    6. Hou, Minghui & Min, Shi & Qing, Ping & Tian, Xu, 2024. "Can a knowledge calendar improve dietary knowledge? Evidence from a field experiment in rural China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    7. 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.
    8. Urvashi Jain & Mingming Ma, 2024. "Together in sickness and in health: Spillover of physical, mental, and cognitive health among older English couples," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(9), pages 1989-2012, September.
    9. Clément, Matthieu, 2017. "The income-body-size gradient among Chinese urban adults: A semiparametric analysis," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 253-270.
    10. Luc Jacolin & Joseph Keneck Massil & Alphonse Noah, 2021. "Informal sector and mobile financial services in emerging and developing countries: Does financial innovation matter?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(9), pages 2703-2737, September.
    11. Sikhulumile Sinyolo & Catherine Ndinda & Conrad Murendo & Sithembile A. Sinyolo & Mudzunga Neluheni, 2020. "Access to Information Technologies and Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables in South Africa: Evidence from Nationally Representative Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-17, July.
    12. Ezinne M. Emeana & Liz Trenchard & Katharina Dehnen-Schmutz, 2020. "The Revolution of Mobile Phone-Enabled Services for Agricultural Development (m-Agri Services) in Africa: The Challenges for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-27, January.
    13. Luo, Yu & Peng, Yuchao & Zeng, Lianyun, 2021. "Digital financial capability and entrepreneurial performance," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 55-74.
    14. Kristi Mahrt & Andrea Rossi & Vincenzo Salvucci & Finn Tarp, 2020. "Multidimensional Poverty of Children in Mozambique," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(5), pages 1675-1700, October.
    15. Ana Balsa & Carlos Díaz, 2018. "Social interactions in health behaviors and conditions," Documentos de Trabajo/Working Papers 1802, Facultad de Ciencias Empresariales y Economia. Universidad de Montevideo..
    16. Chee‐Ruey Hsieh & Xuezheng Qin, 2018. "Depression hurts, depression costs: The medical spending attributable to depression and depressive symptoms in China," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(3), pages 525-544, March.
    17. Martin C. Parlasca & Oliver Mußhoff & Matin Qaim, 2020. "Can mobile phones improve nutrition among pastoral communities? Panel data evidence from Northern Kenya," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 51(3), pages 475-488, May.
    18. Jing You, 2014. "Dietary change, nutrient transition and food security in fast-growing China," Chapters, in: Raghbendra Jha & Raghav Gaiha & Anil B. Deolalikar (ed.), Handbook on Food, chapter 9, pages 204-245, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    19. Kabbiri, Ronald & Dora, Manoj & Kumar, Vikas & Elepu, Gabriel & Gellynck, Xavier, 2018. "Mobile phone adoption in agri-food sector: Are farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa connected?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 253-261.
    20. Michel Kabirigi & Haruna Sekabira & Zhanli Sun & Frans Hermans, 2023. "The use of mobile phones and the heterogeneity of banana farmers in Rwanda," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(6), pages 5315-5335, June.

    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:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:7:p:3736-:d:529578. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.