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Nutrition Transition with Accelerating Urbanization? Empirical Evidence from Rural China.

ABSTRACT: Although rapid urbanization is often considered as one of the most important drivers for changing dietary patterns, little attention has been paid to rural areas despite the profound transformation they have undergone. Using longitudinal data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) for the period from 2004 to 2011, this study seeks to better understand the relationship between the urbanization of rural areas and dietary transition, with the focus on nutrition intake and dietary quality. Our results suggest that with increasing urbanization, rural residents tend to have on average lower calorie intakes but higher dietary quality. Specifically, increasing urbanization consistently reduces carbohydrate consumption and reduces fat consumption after a turning point; protein consumption first decreases and then increases after the turning point with increasing urbanization. Urbanization shows a significant and positive effect on the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). In addition to sociodemographic changes, we find that changing consumer preferences and knowledge serve as important determinants in explaining the dietary transition in rural China from 2004 to 2011. In our study, urbanization appears to positively affect rural residents' healthy food preferences and dietary knowledge. This study is a first attempt for better understanding the nutrition transition resulting from accelerating urbanization in rural China; several limitations and areas for future research have been highlighted.

SUBMITTER: Ren Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7999076 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundNutrition outcomes among young children in Nigeria are among the worse globally. Mother's limited knowledge about food choices, feeding, and health care seeking practices contributes significantly to negative nutrition outcomes for children in most developing countries. Much less is known about the relationship between mother's nutrition-related knowledge and child nutritional outcomes in rural Nigeria. This paper investigates therefore: (i) the association of mother's nutrition-related knowledge with nutrition outcomes of young children living in rural Nigeria, where access to education is limited, and (ii) whether mother's education has a complementary effect on such knowledge in producing positive child nutrition outcomes in such settings.MethodsUsing the Demographic and Health Survey data for Nigeria, we employ both descriptive and regression analyses approaches in analyzing the study's objectives. In particular, we apply ordinary least square (OLS) to investigate the association of mother's nutrition-related knowledge with child HAZ and WHZ while controlling for maternal, child, household and regional characteristics. An index was constructed for mother's nutrition-related knowledge using information on dietary practices, disease treatment and prevention, child immunization, and family planning.ResultsWe found that mother's knowledge is independently and positively associated with HAZ and WHZ scores in young children. Higher levels of mother's education, typically above primary, have a significant, positive association with child HAZ and WHZ scores. We argue that mother's knowledge of health and nutrition may substitute for education in reducing undernutrition in young children among populations with limited access to formal education. However, the present level of mother's education in rural Nigeria appears insufficient to reinforce knowledge in producing better nutrition outcomes for children.ConclusionsThis study suggests promotion of out-of-school (informal) education, such as adult literacy and numeracy classes where women without formal education can gain health and nutrition knowledge, and practices that could enhance child nutrition outcomes in Nigeria.

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Nutrition Transition with Accelerating Urbanization? Empirical Evidence from Rural China.

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