Parental Education and child Nutrition in Indonesia

Abstract

This study uses 1989 Susenas household data to examine the impact of parental education on pre-school children's nutritional status, as measured by weight-for-age Z-scores. Reduced form regressions are estimated separately for boys and girls in rural and urban areas; explanatory variables include mother's and household head's education; per capita household expenditure; and aspects of the household sanitary environment. The analysis controls for influence of unobserved heterogeneity at village level, e.g. differences in prices and medical service provision. The estimates show a significant effect of parental schooling on child health status, varying between urban and rural areas, and by child gender and age. Mothers with secondary education typically have healthier boys than those with less schooling, while this effect is seen for girls only if the mother has more than secondary education. Maternal schooling significantly affects 2-5 year olds' health, but has little direct effect on that of younger children.

Physical growth and nutritional status of Tsimane' Amerindian children of lowland Bolivia

“…Rather, in both boys and girls, nutritional status was most strongly associated with number of teachers in the village, a measure of access to education. This finding is consistent with other international development research showing the importance of education in promoting nutritional health (Bindon and Vitzthum, 2002;Ene-Obong et al, 2001;Mukudi, 2003;Skoufias, 1999).…”

Women’s Empowerment and Gender Inequality in Adolescent Nutritional Status: Evidence From the Indonesian Family Life Survey

“…While studies on the association between women's empowerment and child nutritional status abound, literature discussing gender differences therein are far fewer. However, the three studies that the authors are aware of, which have studied the gendered link between women's empowerment and child nutritional status, showed interesting findings that require further research (Skoufias, 1999;Khatun et al, 2004;Bose, 2011). Skoufias (1999) studied whether the number of years that the mothers spend in school affects the weight-for-age of under-five children in Indonesia.…”

“…Research has also found that, in most cases, both mother's working status and her bargaining power are positively correlated with their children's nutritional status (Toyama et al, 2001;Shroff et al, 2011;Roshita et al, 2013). Several studies have also reported that empowered mothers were able to reduce inequality in nutritional status between boys and girls (Skoufias, 1999;Khatun et al, 2004;Bose, 2011). For example, Bose (2011) showed that Indian mothers with a job were able to provide more protein-rich food to improve the nutrition of their undernourished daughters, thus compensating the existing gender gap.…”

Determinants of Nutritional Condition: Discordance between Existing Understanding and Current Observation- A Study among the School Students of West Bengal

“…Consequently, the human capital embodied in a mother can have a significant impact on a child's health status. [9] More education results in greater knowledge and better access to and processing of information (Thomas, Strauss and Henrique's 1990). In the context that better educated parents are more successful in protecting or improving their children's health status, public health programs intended at reducing child under nutrition and obesity.…”

“…In the context that better educated parents are more successful in protecting or improving their children's health status, public health programs intended at reducing child under nutrition and obesity. Identifying the significant connection between child health and education of parents is effective to construct a better health policy [9].…”