Les déterminants du statut nutritionnel au Matlab : une analyse empirique.

This paper analyses the factors that influence child health in Bangadesh using the demographic and Health Survey data (2000). The study questions the exact role of the mother's schooling as it does not appear that in Bangladesh the impact of the mother's education works through the acquisition of information. It is found to be of value only through her learning how to read and write. Our results reveal a small but a significant impact of wealth on stunting. However, we do not find any evidence that a long breastfeeding period has a payoff in terms of better health and nutrition. In contrast, it has a detrimental impact related to a poor maternal nutritional knowledge. Family background characteristics are highly correlated with the child's anthropometric outcome suggesting the existence of a vicious circle of poor health and nutrition perpetuating itself across generations. The implications for policy makers of high levels of child malnutrition and the effect that these have on children are discussed.