Child feeding and stunting prevalence in left-behind children: a descriptive analysis of data from a central and western Chinese population

Lu Ban (), Sufang Guo (), Robert W. Scherpbier, Xiaoli Wang, Hong Zhou and Laila J. Tata
Additional contact information
Lu Ban: University of Nottingham
Sufang Guo: UNICEF China
Robert W. Scherpbier: UNICEF China
Xiaoli Wang: Peking University
Hong Zhou: Peking University
Laila J. Tata: University of Nottingham

International Journal of Public Health, 2017, vol. 62, issue 1, No 14, 143-151

Abstract: Abstract Objectives To examine the effect of parental rural-to-urban internal migration on nutritional status of left-behind children and how this is related to guardianship. Methods We used UNICEF China’s maternal and child health survey data to investigate stunting prevalence and feeding practices in children left behind by rural-to-urban internal migrant parents. We also assessed the effects of primary guardianship which is related closely with parental migration. Results Of 6136 children aged 0–3 years, over one-third was left behind by one or both parents. About 13 % were left behind by mothers, leaving guardianship primarily to grandmothers. Left-behind status was not associated with stunting, yet children who were cared for primarily by their fathers had a 32 % increase of stunting compared to children cared for by the mothers [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.32; 95 % confidence interval = 1.04–1.67]. Children with migrant mothers were less likely to receive age-appropriate breastfeeding (aOR = 0.04;0.02–0.10) and a minimum acceptable diet (aOR = 0.56;0.39–0.79) compared with non-left-behind children. Conclusions Guardian’s feeding behaviours varied, and was inappropriate for both children affected and not affected by parent’s rural-to-urban internal migration. Community-based infant and young child feeding counselling and support should be provided to all caregivers.

Keywords: Stunting; Nutritional status; Feeding practice; Rural-to-urban internal migration; Left-behind children; Guardianship (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00038-016-0844-6 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:ijphth:v:62:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s00038-016-0844-6

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/economics/journal/00038

DOI: 10.1007/s00038-016-0844-6

Access Statistics for this article

International Journal of Public Health is currently edited by Thomas Kohlmann, Nino Künzli and Andrea Madarasova Geckova

More articles in International Journal of Public Health from Springer, Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+)
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().