Abstract
ABSTRACT Background: Several studies in Indonesia have shown the protective effect of women-headed households on the double burden of malnutrition (coexistence of undernutrition and overnutrition in a household). Many other studies have presented a positive impact on children’s health and conditions when women are educated, have higher social capital and have control of income and its intra-household allocation. However, how women’s status affects the nutritional status of a household and, in particular, of children still remains understudied. Objective: In this study, our aim was to explore the role of gender relations and contextual factors for overnutrition and undernutrition among children within a household. Method: We conducted a qualitative study in two provinces of Indonesia: Central Java (urban and rural) and Jakarta (central and suburban) among 123 community members (59 men and 64 women). We utilised principles of constructivist grounded theory in conducting this study, and focus group discussions were chosen as a tool to collect data. Results: Three categories were constructed, capturing the significance of: (i) the man is dominant within the family (gendered power relations), (ii) the environment that makes the unhealthy choice the easy choice (the emerging obesogenic environment) and (iii) parents’ being concerned but unable to control their children’s eating habits (intersection of gender and generational relations) in child malnutrition. Conclusion: Community health and nutrition programmes should help both women and men within the context of households to acknowledge and respect women’s status. More importantly, these programmes should involve men when it comes to children’s nutritional habits and consider them as an important factor in the realisation of gender equality and empowerment. Furthermore, it is increasingly important to recognise the implication of the availability and accessibility of junk food among children.
Highlights
Several studies in Indonesia have shown the protective effect of womenheaded households on the double burden of malnutrition
Based on the results from the Focus group discussions (FGDs), we constructed a model which illustrates the interrelation among the three categories: (i) the man is dominant within the family, (ii) the environment making the unhealthy choice the easy choice and (iii) parents being concerned but not able to control children’s eating habits (Figure 1)
We did extensive fieldwork in Central Java and Jakarta to explore and understand what contributes to the double burden of malnutrition within a household in the Indonesian context
Summary
Several studies in Indonesia have shown the protective effect of womenheaded households on the double burden of malnutrition (coexistence of undernutrition and overnutrition in a household). Many other studies have presented a positive impact on children’s health and conditions when women are educated, have higher social capital and have control of income and its intra-household allocation. The protective effect of womenheaded households on the double burden of malnutrition in Indonesia has been shown in several studies [9,10]. Many other studies in Indonesia and elsewhere have presented a positive influence on children’s health and conditions when women are educated [11], have social capital [12] and have control of income [13,14] and its intra-household allocation [15]
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