Diet Quality, Child Health and Food Policies in Developing Countries
World Bank Research Observer (in press Forthcoming)
Posted: 1 Oct 2014
There are 2 versions of this paper
Diet Quality, Child Health, and Food Policies in Developing Countries
Date Written: September 29, 2014
Abstract
While the importance of diet quality for improving child health is widely recognized, the roles of environmental factors and absorption of nutrients for children’s physical growth and morbidity have not been adequately integrated into a policy framework. Moreover, nutrient intakes gradually affect child health so that it is helpful to use alternative tools for evaluation of short-term interventions versus long-term food policies. This article emphasizes the role of diet quality reflected in the intakes of nutrients such as protein, calcium, and iron for children’s physical growth; vitamins A and C are important for reducing morbidity. Children’s growth and morbidity affect their cognitive development that is critical for future supply of skilled labor and economic growth. Evidence on these issues from countries such as Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Philippines and Tanzania is summarized. The supply of nutritious foods is appraised from the viewpoint of improving diet quality. Finally, the roles of educational campaigns and indirect taxes on unhealthy processed foods consumed by the affluent in developing countries are discussed.
Keywords: economic development, food policies, diet quality, child health, morbidity, cognitive development, livestock production, educational campaigns, indirect taxation
JEL Classification: O12, I15, I25, J10, Q01, Q18
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation