Research Proposal: Long Term Impact of Child Malnutrition on Adulthood
Long term impact of child malnutrition on adulthood
Introduction This is a proposal to undertake a study of the long-term impact of child malnutrition on adulthood. Poor nutrition and health, whether in their mildest or severest forms, result in a reduction in overall well-being and quality of life. The most vulnerable to malnutrition are children. At such an early stage, children’s immune systems are still developing and are not fully able to fight disease and infection. The short-term effects of child malnutrition are well documented in medical as well as economic literature. Majority of households in developing countries are characterised by poor health environments, where it is easy for children and adults to fall prey to infectious and communicable diseases. Such diseases contribute to malnutrition through a wide range of mechanisms, which include loss of appetite and reduced capacity to absorb nutrients. It is generally accepted that children who are malnourished ie underweight or stunted are at greater risk for childhood morbidity and mortality (WHO 1995). Malnourishment also undermines educational attainment and productivity with adverse implications for income, economic growth and human development (Gragnolati et al 2005). Bearing this in mind, this study will explore the longterm impact of child malnutrition – whether malnourishment during childhood affects an individual’s economic and social outcomes as an adult. This study will focus on the how the socio-economic outcomes such as educational attainment, health status, productivity and income of an adult are affected by her being malnourished as a child. This would help establish an explicit relationship between child malnutrition and subsequent adult outcomes as well as provide a new way of looking into the nutrition- poverty nexus: is it possible for (poor) malnourished children to escape poverty as adults?
Rationale for the study The importance of good nutrition cannot be disputed. Proper nutrition
Introduction This is a proposal to undertake a study of the long-term impact of child malnutrition on adulthood. Poor nutrition and health, whether in their mildest or severest forms, result in a reduction in overall well-being and quality of life. The most vulnerable to malnutrition are children. At such an early stage, children’s immune systems are still developing and are not fully able to fight disease and infection. The short-term effects of child malnutrition are well documented in medical as well as economic literature. Majority of households in developing countries are characterised by poor health environments, where it is easy for children and adults to fall prey to infectious and communicable diseases. Such diseases contribute to malnutrition through a wide range of mechanisms, which include loss of appetite and reduced capacity to absorb nutrients. It is generally accepted that children who are malnourished ie underweight or stunted are at greater risk for childhood morbidity and mortality (WHO 1995). Malnourishment also undermines educational attainment and productivity with adverse implications for income, economic growth and human development (Gragnolati et al 2005). Bearing this in mind, this study will explore the longterm impact of child malnutrition – whether malnourishment during childhood affects an individual’s economic and social outcomes as an adult. This study will focus on the how the socio-economic outcomes such as educational attainment, health status, productivity and income of an adult are affected by her being malnourished as a child. This would help establish an explicit relationship between child malnutrition and subsequent adult outcomes as well as provide a new way of looking into the nutrition- poverty nexus: is it possible for (poor) malnourished children to escape poverty as adults?
Rationale for the study The importance of good nutrition cannot be disputed. Proper nutrition