Publication: Nutritional Status and Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa
Date
1998-04
ISSN
Published
1998-04
Author(s)
Sahn, David E.
Alderman, H.
Abstract
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has had an
aggregate malnutrition rate of nearly 30 percent for the
last decade. While malnutrition prevalence has decreased
significantly in most other developing countries in the last
decade, it has been nearly static for SSA. This static trend
in the percentage of malnourished children, however, does
not fully reflect the rapidly rising numbers of malnourished
children given SSA's high population growth rate. The
LSMS/ISs, or (Living Standards Measurement Survey/
Integrated Survey) and PSs (Priority Survey) over the last
decade provide for the first time data to undertake a more
comprehensive analysis of the factors that could affect
malnutrition in selected countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Based on LSMS data, determinants of malnutrition are
investigated for Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana. Both studies
find that household expenditure plays an important role in
improving the preschool-age children's long-term
nutritional indicator status (height-for-age), but not the
short-term nutritional indicator status (weight-for-height).
Nutritional studies have found that linear (height-for-age)
growth and ponderal (weight-for-height) growth have
different nutritional requirements. Just as overall dietary
inadequacy (also called protein-energy malnutrition) causes
stunting, so does deficiency in any of a large number of
micronutrients. Micronutrients are concentrated in specific
foods and are low or absent in staple grains and legumes.
Since the specific foods are often more expensive than
staples, stunting and wasting may be affected differently by
income. The purpose here is to review the evidence for this
proposition using available data from SSA countries.
Citation
“Sahn, David E.; Alderman, H.. 1998. Nutritional Status and Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa. Africa Region Findings & Good Practice Infobriefs; No. 108. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/26c10bd8-aad1-5edb-aa7e-e124facf0bb4 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”