Association among Household Wealth, Maternal Employment, and Undernutrition in Children under Three Years of Age in Pakistan

Author:

Shahid Muhammad1ORCID,Xie Yuantao1ORCID,Bashir Shamshad2ORCID,Noureen Nazia3ORCID,Song Jiayi4,Malik Najma Iqbal5ORCID,Tang Kun6ORCID

Affiliation:

1. School of Insurance and Economics, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing 100029, China

2. Department of Psychology, Lahore Garrison University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan

3. Department of Psychology, Foundation University Rawalpindi Campus, Rawalpindi 44000, Pakistan

4. Tsinghua Shenzhen International School, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China

5. Department of Psychology, University of Sargodha, Sargodha 40100, Pakistan

6. Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China

Abstract

Background: There is an abundance of studies explaining the separate impact of female employment and household wealth status in reducing malnutrition. However, our study has unraveled the combined impact of maternal employment and household wealth on undernutrition among children under three in Pakistan. Methods: Using a sample of 1093 children under three years of age from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2017–2018, a binary logistic model was employed to gauge factors influencing the children’s undernutrition. Results: Our results indicated that children up to a certain age (three years old) with residence in certain regions (Pakistan) and recent episodes of diarrhea had an increased risk of undernutrition. Conversely, secondary and higher maternal education, access to improved water sources, and sanitation facilities lowered the chances of undernutrition in children under three in Pakistan. The interaction between maternal employment and household wealth showed that maternal employment significantly lowered the risk of stunting, being underweight, and wasting among the average, rich, and richest households; however, it did not contribute to child nutrition among the poorer and poor households. Notably, regardless of whether the mother was employed, the wealth status of being rich and richest reduced the risk of stunting, being underweight, and wasting. Conclusions: In overcoming undernutrition, maternal employment significantly contributed to middle-income households. However, in the richer and richest households, the wealth status played a more crucial role compared to the maternal employment. This indicates that while employment plays a supportive role in household resources, the wealth status is overall more influential in reducing undernutrition.

Publisher

MDPI AG

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