Parental Preferences for Nutrition of Boys and Girls: Evidence from Africa

Abstract

This article models the determinants of pre-school age malnutrition in Africa using the Demographic Health Surveys. By examining the differences in the impact of mother's and father's education on the nutrition of boys and girls, we draw inferences from our reduced-form equations regarding the existence of non-unified preferences. In a bargaining framework, women with more schooling are able to earn more, which improves their fallback position. Thus, we test whether mother's schooling has a larger impact on daughter's than son's nutrition, and whether father's education favors son's nutrition. Using classical testing criteria, we generally find that preferences of fathers and mother differ in regard to the health of boys and girls.