Does maternal empowerment improve dietary diversity of children? Evidence from Pakistan demographic and health survey 2017–18

Abstract

The role of maternal empowerment (ME) to improve child nutrition in patriarchal societies of developing countries remains ambiguous. This study provides empirical evidence about the impact of ME and some other factors selected under United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund theoretical framework, on dietary diversity of children (under 5 years age) in Pakistan. Partial proportional odds model is estimated to obtain varying estimates of the parameters by using data of Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2017–18. Significant positive role of empowered mothers to improve child dietary diversity (CDD) is explored (OR = 1.135; Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.001–1.288). Moreover, positive association of maternal higher education on CDD (OR = 1.329; 95% CI = 1.085–1.628) supports the productive and allocative efficiency hypotheses of health economics. Maternal agricultural employment, paternal education, and paternal employment were not significantly associated with CDD. This requires further exploration. Positive association of household socioeconomic status with CDD (OR = 1.768; 95% CI = 1.314–2.380) and significance of some demographic variables call for social welfare programs. Positive association of mother's age and CDD demands for amendment in Child Marriage Restraint Act. The observed adverse association of family size with CDD induces effective family planning to control high birth rate in Pakistan. It may be concluded that ME and creation of awareness about nutrition security through maternal education are the important factors to overcome child malnutrition in Pakistan. Since, socioeconomic and cultural environment in South Asian countries is homogeneous, the analysis in this study might be relevant to the South Asian region. Moreover, the study provides evidence informing the debate on the role of ME to improve child nutrition in patriarchal societies.

Maternal and household factors affecting the dietary diversity of preschool children in eastern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

“…In this study, children whose mothers used family planning methods were approximately twice as likely to have diversified foods than their counterparts. This could be associated with such economically helpful factors as wider birth spaces, stable employment, better postnatal health, and providing women with more decision-making power, time and energy to prepare foods from diversified groups 73–76. Conversely, larger family size was typically associated with decreased childcare and LDD 77.…”

“…This could be associated with such economically helpful factors as wider birth spaces, stable employment, better postnatal health, and providing women with more decisionmaking power, time and energy to prepare foods from diversified groups. [73][74][75][76] Conversely, larger family size was typically associated with decreased childcare and LDD. 77 However, only approximately 15% of the mothers used any form of family planning methods in the current study.…”

Maternal Health Services in Pakistan

“…This is due to the fact that it would consider the proven effects of specific proxies for women's empowerment. Because the multifaceted nature of empowerment is frequently not fully accounted for by indirect or proxy approaches 16 .…”