A decade's story of childhood malnutrition inequality in China: Where you live does matter

A concentration index methodology to analyze the inequality in childhood malnutrition in China is outlined. Height-for-age z-score is used as a measure of childhood malnutrition. Using household survey data from nine Chinese provinces, we found that per capita household income, household head's education, urban residence and access to a bus stop are associated with lower malnutrition. Child's age has a nonlinear relationship with the malnutrition status. Income growth and access to public transportation are associated with less severe inequality, while rural-urban gap, provincial differentials, and unequal distribution of household head's education are associated with higher levels of inequality in childhood malnutrition. Gender is not relevant for either malnutrition status or inequality. Investments in infrastructure and welfare programs are recommended to ameliorate the inequality in childhood malnutrition. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.