Nutrition impacts of non-solid cooking fuel adoption on under-five children in developing countries

Abstract

This paper examines the nutrition impacts of using non-solid cooking fuel on under-five children in developing countries. We draw on data from more than 1.12 million children in 62 developing countries from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS). Results from both fixed effects (FE) and instrumental variable (IV) estimates show that using non-solid cooking fuel significantly improves the nutrition outcomes of under-five children. Compared with their peers from households mainly using solid fuel, children from households mainly using non-solid fuel exhibit a lower probability of experiencing stunting (by 5.9 percentage points) and being underweight (by 1.2 percentage points). Our further investigation provides evidence for several underlying mechanisms, such as improved indoor air quality, induced reduction in children's respiratory symptoms, benefits on maternal health, and reduction in maternal time spent on fuel collection or cooking. Heterogenous analyses suggest that the nutrition benefits of using non-solid cooking fuel are more prominent among boys, children above three years old, and those from households of lower socioeconomic status, rural areas, and Southeast Asia.