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Inequality of opportunity in child nutrition in Pakistan

Shyamkumar Sriram1, Lubna Naz2

  • 1Department of Rehabilitation and Health Services, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, United States of America.

Plos One
|February 21, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Maternal education, water/sanitation access, and socio-economic status drive inequality in child stunting opportunities in Pakistan. Addressing these factors is crucial for improving child health outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Socioeconomics

Background:

  • Child malnutrition, specifically stunting, is a critical health issue in Pakistan, affecting 44% of children under five.
  • Significant nutritional inequalities exist between rural and urban populations, linked to circumstances surrounding birth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the key drivers of inequality of opportunity in stunting among children under five in Pakistan.
  • To analyze regional disparities in stunting and its contributing factors.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (2017-18).
  • Employed Dissimilarity index, Oaxaca, and Shapley decomposition to measure and attribute inequality.
  • Analyzed regional variations using Geographic Information System (GIS).

Main Results:

  • Stunting prevalence is substantially higher in rural Pakistan compared to urban areas.
  • Maternal education and wealth index were major contributors to inequality, particularly in urban settings.
  • Inadequate water and sanitation significantly impacted inequality in rural areas, while southern regions showed higher stunting rates and poorer infrastructure.

Conclusions:

  • Lack of maternal education, poor water and sanitation access, and low socio-economic status are primary contributors to stunting-related inequality of opportunity.
  • Findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to improve child health and ensure equal opportunities.
  • Policymakers can leverage these insights to implement effective strategies for child well-being.
Abstract

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