Explaining Socioeconomic-Related Child Malnutrition Inequality in India : Decomposition of the Wealth Based Concentration Index

This chapter provides the attempt to quantify and decompose the degree of wealth-related inequalities in child malnutrition (compromised z-scores) for different socioeconomic complimentary sub-groups in India. The investigation starts with an assessment of the socioeconomic determinants for the compromised z-scores (h/a) and malnutrition elasticity of determining factors. Subsequently, the measurement of inequality in child malnutrition is done using concentration indices, which is further decomposed into determining factors to find out the relative contribution of the different socioeconomic predictors. Wide ranges of data on child malnutrition and it’s socioeconomic correlates were taken from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 3rd round 2005-06 on Indian under-five children. Decomposition estimates suggest that family wealth level, mother’s completed school years and higher birth order of child are the dominant contributor to inequalities in child malnutrition among Indian children. Comparative assessment among different socioeconomic sub-section in India suggests that the socioeconomic inequality is crucial for inequality in child malnutrition in selecting the prior target group for urgent policy intervention. Among different socioeconomic sub-section in India, the relative contribution is particularly high for family wealth score in higher education sub-group and low for big household size in the Muslim religion sub-groups