Reducing Child Malnutrition in Tanzania - Combined Effects of Income Growth and Program Interventions

28 Pages Posted: 30 Apr 2005

See all articles by Harold Alderman

Harold Alderman

International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

J. G. M. (Hans) Hoogeveen

World Bank - Research Department

Maria Christina Rossi

University of Turin

Date Written: April 2005

Abstract

Malnutrition is associated with an inadequate diet, poor health and sanitation services and insufficient care for young children. A combination of income growth and nutrition interventions are therefore suggested to adequately tackle this issue (Haddad et al. 2003), yet evidence to support this claim is often not available, especially for African settings. This paper evaluates the joint contribution of income growth and nutrition interventions towards the reduction of malnutrition. Using a four round panel data set from northwestern Tanzania we estimate the determinants of a child's nutritional status, including household income and the presence of nutrition interventions in the community. The results show that better nutrition is associated with higher income, and that nutrition interventions have a substantial beneficial effect. Policy simulations make clear that if one intends to halve malnutrition rates by 2015 (the MDG objective), income growth will have to be complemented by large scale program interventions.

Keywords: nutrition, program evaluation, income growth, Tanzania, MDG

Suggested Citation

Alderman, Harold and Hoogeveen, Johannes G. M. (Hans) and Rossi, Maria Christina, Reducing Child Malnutrition in Tanzania - Combined Effects of Income Growth and Program Interventions (April 2005). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=712604

Harold Alderman (Contact Author)

International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) ( email )

1201 Eye St, NW,
Washington, DC 20005
United States

Johannes G. M. (Hans) Hoogeveen

World Bank - Research Department ( email )

1818 H Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20433
United States

Maria Christina Rossi

University of Turin ( email )

Torino
Italy