Sex Bias in Intrahousehold Food Distribution: Roles of Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Characteristics

Abstract

A review of literature dealing with intrahousehold food distribution in India indicates that inequality of distribution has probably existed since prehistoric times and is present now as a cultural characteristic of diverse social and ethnic groups. Generally females especially young females are the group most discriminated against. A study was undertaken to determine whether variations exist with respect to sex bias: 1) between a traditional rural Hindu group and several groups of different ethnic ancestries; and 2) among economic occupational religious and rural/urban subgroups of these groups. 1-day semiquantitative data on dietary intakes were collected from the woman running each household using as reference 8 containers decreasing in size from 3000 ml to 100 ml for each of the the following categories of household members: male household head; other male adult; male adolescent (13-18 years); male child; household heads wife other female adult; female adolescent; and female child. Sex and age-specific calorie intakes recommended by the Indian Council of Medical Research were used as standards. Null hypotheses tested were that each member of a household received what he or she needs and where the total quantity available was > or < that required by the household members food was shared equitably. Among Lepchas except for urban Christian Lepchas a bias in favor of females is suggested. Among sherpas the relationship is less clear although food intake of the household head and his wife appears lower. Among Oraons no sex bias seems to exist. Mahishyas of high economic status display a bias in favor of males but among those of medium and low income groups intake appears proportional to individual needs. For other groups nutritional intake of most people appears low but small sample sizes may mean differences are insignificant.