Explaining Income-Related Inequalities in Dietary Knowledge: Evidence from the China Health and Nutrition Survey

Yongjian Xu, Siyu Zhu, Tao Zhang, Duolao Wang, Junteng Hu, Jianmin Gao and Zhongliang Zhou
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Yongjian Xu: School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Siyu Zhu: School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Tao Zhang: Department of Health Management, School of Medicine and Health Management, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Duolao Wang: Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
Junteng Hu: School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Jianmin Gao: School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Zhongliang Zhou: School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 2, 1-15

Abstract: Lack of adequate dietary knowledge may result in poor health conditions. This study aims to measure income-related inequality in dietary knowledge, and to explain the sources of the inequality. Data were from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) conducted in 2015. A summary of the dietary knowledge score and dietary guideline awareness was used to measure the dietary knowledge of respondents. The concentration index was employed as a measure of socioeconomic inequality and was decomposed into its determining factors. The study found that the proportion of respondents who correctly answered questions on dietary knowledge was significantly low for some questions. Compared to rural residents, urban residents had a higher proportion of correctly answered dietary knowledge questions. In addition, there are pro-rich inequalities in dietary knowledge. This observed inequality is determined not only by individual factors but also high-level area factors. Our study recommends that future dietary education programs could take different strategies for individuals with different educational levels and focus more on disadvantaged people. It would be beneficial to consider local dietary habits in developing education materials.

Keywords: dietary knowledge; income-related inequality; concentration index; decomposition analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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