| Do girls have a nutritional disadvantage compared with boys? Statistical models of breastfeeding and food consumption inequalities among Indian siblings |
| Authors: |
Fledderjohann, J., Agrawal, S., Vellakkal, S., Basu, S., Campbell, O., Doyle, P., Ebrahim, S., and Stuckler, D. |
| Source: |
PLOS ONE , 9(9), 1-9. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107172 |
| Topic(s): |
Breastfeeding
Child feeding
Child health
Gender
Inequality
Nutrition
Siblings
|
| Country: |
Asia
India
|
| Published: |
SEP 2014 |
| Abstract: |
BACKGROUND:
India is the only nation where girls have greater risks of under-5 mortality than boys. We test whether female disadvantage in breastfeeding and food allocation accounts for gender disparities in mortality.
METHODS AND FINDINGS:
Secondary, publicly available anonymized and de-identified data were used; no ethics committee review was required. Multivariate regression and Cox models were performed using Round 3 of India's National Family and Health Survey (2005-2006; response rate?=?93.5%). Models were disaggregated by birth order and sibling gender, and adjusted for maternal age, education, and fixed effects, urban residence, household deprivation, and other sociodemographics. Mothers' reported practices of WHO/UNICEF recommendations for breastfeeding initiation, exclusivity, and total duration (ages 0-59 months), children's consumption of 24 food items (6-59 months), and child survival (0-59 months) were examined for first- and secondborns (n?=?20,395). Girls were breastfed on average for 0.45 months less than boys (95% CI:?=?0.15 months to 0.75 months, p?=?0.004). There were no gender differences in breastfeeding initiation (OR?=?1.04, 95% CI: 0.97 to 1.12) or exclusivity (OR?=?1.06, 95% CI: 0.99 to 1.14). Differences in breastfeeding cessation emerged between 12 and 36 months in secondborn females. Compared with boys, girls had lower consumption of fresh milk by 14% (95% CI: 79% to 94%, p?=?0.001) and breast milk by 21% (95% CI: 70% to 90%, p<0.000). Each additional month of breastfeeding was associated with a 24% lower risk of mortality (OR?=?0.76, 95% CI: 0.73 to 0.79, p<0.000). Girls' shorter breastfeeding duration accounted for an 11% increased probability of dying before age 5, accounting for about 50% of their survival disadvantage compared with other low-income countries.
CONCLUSIONS:
Indian girls are breastfed for shorter periods than boys and consume less milk. Future research should investigate the role of additional factors driving India's female survival disadvantage. |
| Web: |
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0107172 |
|