Gender Gap in Adult Malnutrition: How Does India Fare?

Abstract

This paper examines two interrelated questions; What is the extent of gender gap in adult malnutrition in India and whether such gender gap is specific to India alone? These questions analyzing the National Family Health Survey (2005-06) unit-level data. The analysis suggests that a huge gender gap in iron-deficiency anemia coexists with an absence of a gender gap in CED. These contrasting patterns indicate that the gander gap in nutrition is likely to be complex than generally thought of This complexity is reinforced further by a wealth-based hierarchy in CED and a gender-based hierarchy in anemia. These contrasting patterns raise a number of important issues. But, it also appears that these contrasting patterns are not specific to India alone. In fact, a huge gender gap in anemia is found in almost all regions of the world. But, what renders India different is the much higher levels of incidence.