Exploring spatial differences in the risk of child stunting: Evidence from a South African national panel survey
- Otterbach, Steffen, Rogan, Michael
- Authors: Otterbach, Steffen , Rogan, Michael
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/473927 , vital:77694 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2018.11.006
- Description: South Africa is one of only a handful of countries in which the prevalence of child stunting actually increased during the period (2000–2015) in which global progress towards child health was being monitored. One section of the literature suggests that stunting is a largely rural phenomenon in South Africa which is explained by high rates of poverty, poor living conditions and a low quality and monotonous diet. Another section, however, suggests that highly processed foods available in expanding retail chains have been contributing to a low quality diet across the country, but particularly in poor urban households. To examine these claims about spatial differences in stunting, we use nationally representative longitudinal data (2008–2014) to measure stunting among South African children and adolescents aged 0–19, with particular attention to the determinants of stunting and how its prevalence differs between urban and rural areas. The results suggest that, first, stunting has a strong spatial component in South Africa but that this can be explained, in large part, by observable factors such as household income, living conditions, and access to basic services. Second, subsistence farming has a significant protective role with respect to stunting, even after controlling for household resources and living conditions. Overall, the results suggest that more attention should be paid to low-quality food and ‘food systems’ as drivers of stunting in both rural and urban areas of a middle-income country such as South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Otterbach, Steffen , Rogan, Michael
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/473927 , vital:77694 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2018.11.006
- Description: South Africa is one of only a handful of countries in which the prevalence of child stunting actually increased during the period (2000–2015) in which global progress towards child health was being monitored. One section of the literature suggests that stunting is a largely rural phenomenon in South Africa which is explained by high rates of poverty, poor living conditions and a low quality and monotonous diet. Another section, however, suggests that highly processed foods available in expanding retail chains have been contributing to a low quality diet across the country, but particularly in poor urban households. To examine these claims about spatial differences in stunting, we use nationally representative longitudinal data (2008–2014) to measure stunting among South African children and adolescents aged 0–19, with particular attention to the determinants of stunting and how its prevalence differs between urban and rural areas. The results suggest that, first, stunting has a strong spatial component in South Africa but that this can be explained, in large part, by observable factors such as household income, living conditions, and access to basic services. Second, subsistence farming has a significant protective role with respect to stunting, even after controlling for household resources and living conditions. Overall, the results suggest that more attention should be paid to low-quality food and ‘food systems’ as drivers of stunting in both rural and urban areas of a middle-income country such as South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
A cohort analysis of subjective wellbeing and ageing: heading towards a midlife crisis
- Otterbach, Steffen, Sousa-Poza, Alfonso, Moller, Valerie
- Authors: Otterbach, Steffen , Sousa-Poza, Alfonso , Moller, Valerie
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Aging -- Social aspects Gerontology
- Language: English
- Type: Book , Text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/65401 , vital:28782 , ISBN 978086810641
- Description: In this paper, we analyse how different domains of subjective wellbeing evolve within seven years in three different cohorts born 10 years apart. On average, general life satisfaction – as well as satisfaction with leisure time, social contacts and friends, and family – declines substantially between the ages of 15 and 44, with the most significant decrease taking place at a young age (early 20s). Nevertheless, trajectories among the three cohorts differ markedly, indicating that, ceteris paribus, responses on subjective wellbeing differ greatly between cohorts born just a decade apart. The results further indicate that the two older cohorts assess family life and social contacts more favourably than the youngest cohort.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Otterbach, Steffen , Sousa-Poza, Alfonso , Moller, Valerie
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Aging -- Social aspects Gerontology
- Language: English
- Type: Book , Text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/65401 , vital:28782 , ISBN 978086810641
- Description: In this paper, we analyse how different domains of subjective wellbeing evolve within seven years in three different cohorts born 10 years apart. On average, general life satisfaction – as well as satisfaction with leisure time, social contacts and friends, and family – declines substantially between the ages of 15 and 44, with the most significant decrease taking place at a young age (early 20s). Nevertheless, trajectories among the three cohorts differ markedly, indicating that, ceteris paribus, responses on subjective wellbeing differ greatly between cohorts born just a decade apart. The results further indicate that the two older cohorts assess family life and social contacts more favourably than the youngest cohort.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Spatial differences in stunting and household agricultural production in South Africa:(re)-examining the links using national panel survey data
- Otterbach, Steffen, Rogan, Michael
- Authors: Otterbach, Steffen , Rogan, Michael
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Human growth -- South Africa Malnutrition -- South Africa Poverty -- Case studies Economic development -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Book , Text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/59522 , vital:27622 , ISBN 9780868106342 , DOI 10.21504/10962/59522
- Description: One explanation for the increasing prevalence of stunting in South Africa over the past 15 years while other development indicators have improved is that Big Food retail chains have been contributing to a low quality diet across the country, particularly in poor urban households. We thus use nationally representative longitudinal data (2008–2014) to trace 6 years of stunting’s evolution among South African children, adolescents, and young adults aged 0–19, with particular attention to how the prevalence of under-nutrition differs between urban and rural areas and how the drivers of poor nutrition vary spatially. The results of our random-effects logistic regressions on the nutritional impact of household agricultural production suggest that, conditional on household income, subsistence farming is associated with a lower probability of stunting. Even more important, although under-nutrition retains a strong spatial component, once observable differences in living standards are controlled for, the higher tendency for children in deep rural households to suffer from (severe) stunting reverses.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Otterbach, Steffen , Rogan, Michael
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Human growth -- South Africa Malnutrition -- South Africa Poverty -- Case studies Economic development -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Book , Text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/59522 , vital:27622 , ISBN 9780868106342 , DOI 10.21504/10962/59522
- Description: One explanation for the increasing prevalence of stunting in South Africa over the past 15 years while other development indicators have improved is that Big Food retail chains have been contributing to a low quality diet across the country, particularly in poor urban households. We thus use nationally representative longitudinal data (2008–2014) to trace 6 years of stunting’s evolution among South African children, adolescents, and young adults aged 0–19, with particular attention to how the prevalence of under-nutrition differs between urban and rural areas and how the drivers of poor nutrition vary spatially. The results of our random-effects logistic regressions on the nutritional impact of household agricultural production suggest that, conditional on household income, subsistence farming is associated with a lower probability of stunting. Even more important, although under-nutrition retains a strong spatial component, once observable differences in living standards are controlled for, the higher tendency for children in deep rural households to suffer from (severe) stunting reverses.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- «
- ‹
- 1
- ›
- »