'Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE)'
Doi
Abstract
Ensuring the survival and well being of children is a concern
of families, communities, and nations throughout the world. Since the
turn of the 20th century infant and child mortality in more developed
countries has steadily declined and, currently, has been reduced to
almost minimal levels. In contrast, although infant and child mortality
has declined in the past three decades in most less developed countries,
the pace of change and the magnitude of improvement vary considerably
from one country to another. Children are at risk of both mortality and
morbidity. The problem of malnutrition is widespread in developing
countries and particularly severe in South Asian countries, where almost
fifty percent of the undernourished children of the world live [Carlson
and Wardlaw (1990)]. Rural populations are especially prone to
malnutrition because they are more likely to be poor [Tinger (1998)].
The analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) in 19 developing
countries shows that children living in rural areas are more likely to
be malnourished [Sommerfelt and Stewart (1994)]