Maternal and child social support and food availability in relation to child growth in four low- and middle-income countries
Abstract Previous studies showed positive associations between specific types of social capital and child nutritional status. Our study examined whether improved food availability mediates the impact of maternal and child social support on child nutritional status in four low- and middle-income coun...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-09850-1 |
| _version_ | 1819061492071268352 |
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| author | Hwa-Young Lee In Han Song Ichiro Kawachi |
| author_facet | Hwa-Young Lee In Han Song Ichiro Kawachi |
| author_sort | Hwa-Young Lee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Previous studies showed positive associations between specific types of social capital and child nutritional status. Our study examined whether improved food availability mediates the impact of maternal and child social support on child nutritional status in four low- and middle-income countries. We used data from the Young Lives cohort study, comprising 1,000 children aged 8 and 12 in Vietnam and Ethiopia, 1008 in India, and 714 in Peru. The outcome variables were the z-scores for height for age and body mass index (HAZ and BAZ, respectively). The causal mediation analysis framework was used. In Peru, above-median values of maternal social support and receiving child financial support were positively associated with HAZ at age 12. The level of maternal financial support was positively associated with BAZ among 12-year-old children in India. Peru was the only country where a positive association was found between food availability and maternal financial support among children aged 12. However, food availability did not mediate the effect of maternal financial support on HAZ at age 12. Strengthening social support to improve child nutritional status, especially by improving food availability, may not be a sufficient intervention in resource-poor settings because sources of support may lack sufficient food resources to share. However, more comprehensive measurements of social support and food security are necessary to better understand the mechanism of social support and child nutritional status. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T14:43:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dccb550d1ba04f9fa3c08d1a9ebecd17 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T14:43:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-dccb550d1ba04f9fa3c08d1a9ebecd172022-12-21T19:00:06ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-04-0112111010.1038/s41598-022-09850-1Maternal and child social support and food availability in relation to child growth in four low- and middle-income countriesHwa-Young Lee0In Han Song1Ichiro Kawachi2Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthInstitute of Convergence Science (ICONS), Convergence Science Academy, Yonsei UniversityDepartment of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthAbstract Previous studies showed positive associations between specific types of social capital and child nutritional status. Our study examined whether improved food availability mediates the impact of maternal and child social support on child nutritional status in four low- and middle-income countries. We used data from the Young Lives cohort study, comprising 1,000 children aged 8 and 12 in Vietnam and Ethiopia, 1008 in India, and 714 in Peru. The outcome variables were the z-scores for height for age and body mass index (HAZ and BAZ, respectively). The causal mediation analysis framework was used. In Peru, above-median values of maternal social support and receiving child financial support were positively associated with HAZ at age 12. The level of maternal financial support was positively associated with BAZ among 12-year-old children in India. Peru was the only country where a positive association was found between food availability and maternal financial support among children aged 12. However, food availability did not mediate the effect of maternal financial support on HAZ at age 12. Strengthening social support to improve child nutritional status, especially by improving food availability, may not be a sufficient intervention in resource-poor settings because sources of support may lack sufficient food resources to share. However, more comprehensive measurements of social support and food security are necessary to better understand the mechanism of social support and child nutritional status.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-09850-1 |
| spellingShingle | Hwa-Young Lee In Han Song Ichiro Kawachi Maternal and child social support and food availability in relation to child growth in four low- and middle-income countries Scientific Reports |
| title | Maternal and child social support and food availability in relation to child growth in four low- and middle-income countries |
| title_full | Maternal and child social support and food availability in relation to child growth in four low- and middle-income countries |
| title_fullStr | Maternal and child social support and food availability in relation to child growth in four low- and middle-income countries |
| title_full_unstemmed | Maternal and child social support and food availability in relation to child growth in four low- and middle-income countries |
| title_short | Maternal and child social support and food availability in relation to child growth in four low- and middle-income countries |
| title_sort | maternal and child social support and food availability in relation to child growth in four low and middle income countries |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-09850-1 |
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