Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 6, 2025

Determining Gender-Based Differences in Retinal and Choroidal Thickness in Underweight Individuals via Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography
03:35

Determining Gender-Based Differences in Retinal and Choroidal Thickness in Underweight Individuals via Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography

Published on: December 1, 2023

398

Determinants of Gender Disparity in Nutritional Intake among Children in Pakistan: Evidence from PDHS

Awaisra Shafiq1, Abid Hussain2,3, Muhammad Asif4

  • 1Department of Economics, The Islamia University, Bagdad ul Jadeed Campus, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 21, 2022
PubMed

Insights

This study examined early childhood malnutrition in Pakistan, finding that socioeconomic status, household size, mother's education, and mother's employment reduce gender disparities in child nutrition.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Sociology

Background:

  • Early age malnutrition remains a significant public health concern globally.
  • Gender disparities in health outcomes, including nutrition, are prevalent in many developing countries.
  • Understanding factors influencing nutritional status in children under five is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze early age malnutrition on a gender basis in Pakistan.
  • To identify household characteristics that influence gender disparities in child nutrition.
  • To quantify the impact of socioeconomic and demographic factors on nutritional inequality.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) 2012-2013.
  • Constructed a gender disparity index based on the ratio of malnourished girls to boys.
  • Employed regression analysis on a dataset of 2119 observations for children under five.

Main Results:

  • Good socioeconomic status was associated with reduced gender disparity in nutrition.
  • Larger household size and a mother's higher education level decreased nutritional inequality.
  • Maternal employment and a male head of household also contributed to a decrease in gender disparity.

Conclusions:

  • Socioeconomic factors and maternal characteristics play a significant role in mitigating gender disparities in early childhood nutrition in Pakistan.
  • Interventions aimed at improving maternal education and socioeconomic status may help reduce nutritional inequalities.
  • Addressing gender-based disparities in nutrition requires a multi-faceted approach considering household dynamics.

Keywords:
PDHSchildrengender disparitymalnutritionnational nutrition surveywealth index

More Related Videos

Breakfast Habits among Schoolchildren in the City of Uruguaiana, Brazil06:48

Breakfast Habits among Schoolchildren in the City of Uruguaiana, Brazil

Published on: July 29, 2020

4.7K
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

27.3K

Related Concept Videos

Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development01:30

Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development

Social-emotional experiences and cultural influences play significant roles in shaping gender development. During middle childhood, from ages 6 to 11, peer groups become dominant in reinforcing gender norms. Children in this age group often align with same-gender peer groups, which actively encourage behaviors that conform to traditional gender roles. For instance, boys may be discouraged from engaging in activities perceived as feminine, reinforcing culturally dictated norms about masculinity...
101
Anorexia Nervosa01:28

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of weight gain, an unrelenting pursuit of thinness, and a distorted body image. It often leads to dangerously low body weight relative to an individual's age and height. This disorder is marked by significant physical and psychological consequences, making it one of the most life-threatening psychiatric illnesses.
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
268
Panic Disorder01:27

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent and sudden minutes-long episodes of intense fear, known as panic attacks. These attacks may feel like heart attacks and often happen without warning or a specific cause. They can include symptoms such as rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, chest pain, trembling, sweating, dizziness, and a sense of helplessness. During a panic attack, individuals may feel as though they are experiencing a heart attack or are in a...
196
Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience,...
21.0K
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution01:17

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution

Drug distribution in the pediatric population exhibits unique challenges and considerations due to the physiological differences between children, particularly neonates and infants, and adults. A crucial aspect of pediatric pharmacology is understanding how these differences impact the pharmacokinetics of various drugs, necessitating age-specific dosing strategies to ensure efficacy and safety.Neonates and infants have a higher total body water content, ~75%–90% of their body weight,...
10
Overview of Protein Metabolism01:21

Overview of Protein Metabolism

Proteins are broken down into amino acids during digestion. Unlike fats and carbohydrates, which are stored for later use, proteins are not. Instead, amino acids are either used to produce ATP through oxidation or contribute to the creation of new proteins for the growth and repair of the body. Any surplus amino acids from the diet are converted into glucose or triglycerides rather than excreted.
Amino acids play various roles in the body once they are absorbed into cells. They are restructured...
2.2K