Who eats last? Intra-household gender inequality in food allocation among children in educationally backward areas of India

Dados Bibliográficos

ID4269352
AutoresDipanwita Ghatak (University of Essex), Sarbeswar Sahoo (0000-0002-2633-4231, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore), Soham Sahoo, Sudipa Sarkar (0000-0001-9851-5990, National Law School of India University), Varun Sharma (0000-0003-3854-6474, Child Rights and You (CRY))
Ano2024
Volume78
Fascículo1
Páginas63-77
Data de publicação2024-01-02
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoPopulation Studies (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0032-4728 • E-ISSN: 1477-4747
EditoraInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00324728.2023.2272991
PMID38032523
OpenAlexW4389180129
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas3
Referências citadas40

The practice of women eating after men is a common gender-inequitable food allocation mechanism among adults in Indian households and has been associated with poor health and nutritional outcomes for women. However, empirical evidence on whether a similar practice of girls eating after boys is prevalent among children is scarce. Using primary data from a household survey conducted in educationally backward areas of four Indian states, we provide new evidence of this practice among children. Almost 28 per cent of the sample households follow the mealtime custom of girls eating after boys. Scheduled Tribes and households with higher incomes are less likely to follow this practice. Other relevant factors include children's relative ages by sex and an interplay between family size and children's sex composition. While our findings may not be generalizable, they suggest an intersectionality between gender and other dimensions of inequality, namely social identity and economic class

Economics · Empirical evidence · Gender inequality · Inequality · Social class · Sociology · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences · Demography · Global Maternal and Child Health · Psychology