Economic shocks predict increases in child wasting prevalence.
Nat Commun
; 13(1): 2157, 2022 04 20.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1805609
ABSTRACT
In low and middle income countries macroeconomic volatility is common, and severe negative economic shocks can substantially increase poverty and food insecurity. Less well understood are the implications of these contractions for child acute malnutrition (wasting), a major risk factor for under-5 mortality. This study explores the nutritional impacts of economic growth shocks over 1990-2018 by linking wasting outcomes collected for 1.256 million children from 52 countries to lagged annual changes in economic growth. Estimates suggest that a 10% annual decline in national income increases moderate/severe wasting prevalence by 14.4-17.8%. An exploration of possible mechanisms suggests negative economic shocks may increase risks of inadequate dietary diversity among children. Applying these results to the latest economic growth estimates for 2020 suggests that COVID-19 could put an additional 9.4 million preschoolers at risk of wasting, net of the effects of preventative policy actions.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Malnutrition
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Child
/
Humans
/
Infant
Language:
English
Journal:
Nat Commun
Journal subject:
Biology
/
Science
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
S41467-022-29755-x
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