Adult Poverty Research Articles

Atribuciones sobre las causas de la pobreza general e infantil en Argentina

In the last decades, different studies have addressed the perspectives of people regarding the causes of poverty, as they could play a fundamental role in the development of individual and social attitudes, beliefs and expectations towards people living in such a condition, and in the strategies implemented to solve related problems and issues. In addition, many of those studies have investigated the causes of poverty using the theoretical model proposed by Feagin (1972), which suggests three broad explanations: (1) individualistic (i. e., causal attribution is placed on the poor themselves); (2) structural (i. e., poverty is due to external social and economic factors); and (3) fatalistic (i. e., poverty is attributed to factors such as bad luck). Most of those studies have been carried out considering the causes of poverty in general, which means that there is very little research aimed at studying specifically the causes of child poverty. Given the high incidence of poverty in Argentina the knowledge about such perspectives is of interest for multiple basic and applied purposes. In this sense, the present study proposed to evaluate the attributions of the causes of poverty in general and child poverty in particular, by adults from Argentina, through two virtual questionnaires (one asking for the causes of poverty in general, and the other for the causes of child poverty). The sample included responses from 1 659 citizens of Argentina from 17 to 90 years old (M = 45.72, SD = 16.94). The questionnaires included 32 items aimed at evaluating the attribution of causes of general poverty, and 30 items related to child poverty. Participants were asked to indicate the importance of each item as a cause of poverty on a five-point Likert-type scale (1 = does not matter; 5 = extremely important). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were implemented (separately from the general and child questionnaires) and retained items with factor loadings at .40 or above. In addition, for the general questionnaire, a second approach was implemented to analyze if the factorial structure supported by different studies in the literature was confirmed in this sample. For such a purpose, confirmatory factor analyses were implemented. Regarding the questionnaire for the causes of general poverty, the exploratory analysis allowed identifying a three-factor structure (as in the case of other studies) (RMSEA = .071; CFI = .94; TLI = .93), which was not verified in the confirmatory analysis (RMSEA = .103; CFI = .88; TLI = .86). On the other hand, the results of the second approach suggest the confirmation of the two-factor model proposed in the literature (RMSEA = .083; CFI = .96; TLI = .95). This pattern of results suggests sensitivity to the inclusion of new items. In this sense, in future studies it would be important to invest efforts in determining new items from consultations with experts and other social actors. Regarding the questionnaire for the causes of poverty in children, two-factor model was identified and confirmed (RMSEA = .074; CFI = .94; TLI = .93), which is a new piece of evidence in the field, suggesting variability in the attribution of causes of poverty according to the considered age group, and whose potential mechanisms in comparison with the studies on adult poverty should be explored in future research (e. g., individual, contextual and cultural factors). Finally, this study confirms that having valid and reliable instruments to explore the causal attributions of general and child poverty would be important to advance in the understanding of poverty as a complex and multidimensional phenomenon. https://doi.org/10.16888/interd.2022.39.3.17

Are you puffing your Children's future away? Energy poverty and childhood exposure to passive smoking

We examine whether having a parent who smoked during one's childhood or adolescence increases the probability of being in energy poverty in adulthood. We find that people who had a parent who smoked when they were young are 0.8–1.4 percentage points more likely to be in energy poverty later in life. Various checks suggest that this relationship can be regarded as being plausibly causal. We identify health, human capital, labour market outcomes and non-cognitive traits as channels through which early life exposure to passive smoking increases the likelihood of being in energy poverty. Our results have important implications for early life interventions to address the deficits caused by exposure to passive smoking.

Childhood adversity and energy poverty

The literature on the antecedents of energy poverty does not consider the potential role of early life experiences. This study fills this gap in the literature by providing causal evidence that early life experiences have a direct effect on subsequent energy poverty status. Using data from China Family Panel Studies, we analyze whether being a child or adolescent in the Great Chinese Famine raises the likelihood of being in energy poverty in adulthood. We find that, conditional on surviving, a one unit increase in the intensity of the Famine, measured by the number of excess deaths per 100 people, leads to a 1.2–1.6 percentage points decline in the probability of being in energy poverty in adulthood, depending on the exact specification and measure of energy poverty. We also find that personal income is a channel through which being a child or adolescent during the Great Famine affects the proclivity to be in energy poverty later in life. These findings are robust to alternative ways of measuring childhood adversity and energy poverty and suggest that resilience is an unobserved strength that carries meaningful economic consequences.

The impact of childhood epilepsy on academic performance: A population-based matched cohort study

Objectives: To compare academic performance and high school completion of young people admitted to hospital with epilepsy and matched peers from the general population not admitted to hospital with epilepsy during the study period.Methods: A population-based matched case-comparison cohort study of young people aged ≤18 years hospitalised with epilepsy during 2005-2018 in New South Wales, Australia, using linked birth, health, education, and mortality records. The comparison cohort was matched on age, sex, and residential postcode. Generalised linear mixed modelling examined risk of school performance below the national minimum standard (NMS), and generalised linear regression examined risk of not completing high school for young people hospitalised with epilepsy compared to matched peers not hospitalised with epilepsy during the study period. Adjusted relative risks (ARRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were derived from the final models.Results: Young people hospitalised with epilepsy had more than 3 times higher risk of not achieving the NMS for numeracy (ARR: 3.40; 95%CI 2.76‒4.18) and reading (ARR: 3.15; 95%CI 2.60‒3.82), compared to matched peers. Young people hospitalised with epilepsy had a 78% higher risk of not completing year 10 (ARR: 1.78; 95%CI 1.14‒2.79), 18% higher risk of not completing year 11 (ARR: 1.18; 95%CI 0.97‒1.45), and 38% higher risk of not completing year 12 (ARR: 1.38; 95%CI 1.14‒1.67), compared to matched counterparts.Conclusion: Young people hospitalised with epilepsy have higher risk of not achieving minimum standards for numeracy and reading and not completing high school compared to matched peers. There is a need for effective strategies and interventions (e.g., early seizure control and improved multidisciplinary management and care coordination) to minimise the potential adverse effect of epilepsy on education and its sequelae such as early school leaving, unemployment and poverty in adulthood.

Long-term effects of a community-based positive youth development program for Black youth: health, education, and financial well-being in adulthood

BackgroundChildhood poverty is known to be associated with poor health. For youth living in extreme poverty, community-based programs focused on youth development are one strategy to improve health and well-being outcomes. However, very few evaluations of the long-term effectiveness of youth development programs have been conducted.The aim of this study was to assess the long-term effectiveness of a positive youth development program (PYD), serving a segregated housing project with a history of community violence, to improve the health, education, and financial well-being of its alumni.MethodsA quasi-experimental causal comparative study design was used to study the effectiveness of the Cabrini-Green Youth Program (CGYP). CGYP alumni (mean: 16.8 +/- 7.4 years after program participation) were surveyed. For comparison, participants from the same housing project who were eligible to participate in the CGYP but did not, were identified.ResultsIn total, 246/417 (59%) eligible alumni were located. 221 alumni were available to be interviewed; 191/221 (86%) completed the interview survey along with 143 in the comparison group. Both groups self-identified as being Black, African American, and of Other race. Alumni were younger (34.6 vs. 38.1 years, p < .001), less likely to be female (62% vs. 74%, p =.03), and more likely to have been abused as a child (26% vs. 11%, p = .001). The majority in both groups reported to be in good to excellent health (83% of alumni vs. 74% of comparison group). After adjusting for comparison group differences, alumni were more likely to have completed college, 24% vs. 12% (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.47, 95% CI, 1.25–4.86), and to end up with some money at the end of the month, 35% vs. 19% (aOR 2.16, 95% CI, 1.17, 3.97).ConclusionsParticipation in a PYD program starting at a young age may be associated with reduced poverty in adulthood, possibly aided by higher educational attainment and resultant increased income. PYD may be an effective strategy to supplement evidenced-based poverty reducing policies. This study of a voluntary, community-based PYD program is unique in its up to 33-year follow-up and an outcome assessment that measures more than knowledge change.

Childhood Poverty, Extended Family and Adult Poverty

ABSTRACT This study investigates the extent to which childhood poverty experience and family variables affect the persistence of poverty in adulthood. We use the Panel Study of Income Dynamics data where subjects are observed over multiple years both as children and adults. We examine the extent to which the persistence of poverty after age 18 and age 25 are predicted by childhood poverty experience. We find that the proportion of time spent in poverty in adulthood increases with the proportion of time spent in poverty in childhood after controlling for other personal, family, place and time-period effects. The magnitude of the effect of childhood poverty on adult outcomes gets smaller but remains significant when examining poverty experiences after age 25. We also find that there are unobserved but strong family level effects that either increase or reduce the chances of adulthood poverty substantially for some extended family units.

Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Older Adult Poverty: Mediating Role of Depression.

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) refer to traumatic events experienced by children in early life, including abuse, neglect, and family dysfunction, which are common worldwide. ACEs are harmful to mental health, and psychological problems can influence personal economic poverty in adulthood. We focused on family dysfunction and discussed the effect of different types of ACEs on poverty and the corresponding mediating effect of depression.Materials and Methods: A total of 9,910 individuals who were 60 years or older from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2014 and 2015 were analysed. The chi-square test was used to compare poverty incidence among subgroups of independent or control variables. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to test the effect of different types of ACEs on depression, and four logistic regression models were established to observe the association between ACEs on older adult poverty and the mediating effect of depression. The path diagram of the direct effect and indirect effect was drawn to test the mediating effect of depression.Results: Early death of father, the male guardian getting upset and witnessing violence of father to mother are the risk factors for older adult poverty, whereas female guardian getting upset, relationship with female guardians and parental quarrel are protective factors for older adult poverty. Furthermore, depression has a partial mediating effect on some factors including early death of father, male guardian getting upset, relationship with female guardian, parental quarrel, and witnessing violence of father to mother.Conclusions: Paternal ACE factors can directly make children more likely to fall into poverty as older adults and can indirectly influence older adult poverty through the partial mediating effect of depression. Assisting poor families, providing psychological counselling, formulating family visit plans, nurturing orphan children under state supervision, and other policies that focus on groups that have experienced paternal ACE events are essential to eliminating the risk factors that influence older adult poverty.

Place Prosperity and the Intergenerational Transmission of Poverty

Much new work in urban and regional economics has emphasized the importance of place prosperity. This study focuses on the determinants of adult poverty and the contribution of place prosperity in damping the intergenerational transmission of poverty. Childhood poverty is a major predictor of adult poverty. We consider how such intergenerational transmission is affected by metropolitan and neighborhood (census tract) prosperity. To capture the temporal dynamics of this process, the model explored here is recursive in nature. We use longitudinal microdata from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Location variables at the census tract and metropolitan levels, family variables, and poverty status are observed for our subjects over multiple years both in childhood and adulthood. Neighborhood and metropolitan prosperity are measured in terms of average incomes adjusted for purchasing power parity differences. The standardized neighborhood prosperity direct effect on adult poverty is strongly significant and its total effect is twice as large. On the other hand, the standardized direct effect of metropolitan prosperity and its total effect are small and insignificant. But even neighborhood effects are modest compared to standardized effects of childhood poverty, race, mother’s education and own education. At least with respect to these data, the recent emphasis on place variables would seem to be overstated.

THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN COMPLEX CATARACT SURGERY AND SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH IN FLORIDA

ABSTRACT Purpose To analyze differences between rates of complex and routine cataract surgery based on demographics and social determinants of health (SDOH) at the community level. Methods Data from adults ages 18 to 84 relevant to cataract surgery billing codes were extracted from the 2017 Florida Ambulatory Surgery dataset from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality merged with SDOH measures from the American Community Survey. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to determine associations between complex cataract surgery and SDOH according to patient ZIP code. Outcomes were reported as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results A total of 171,754 and 11,340 patients received routine and complex cataract surgeries, respectively; females received the majority of routine surgeries (58.87%); most common age group (79.11%) was from 65 to 84 years. Male (odds ratio [OR] 2.034; p < 0.0001) and black patients (OR 1.998; p < 0.0001) more likely received complex surgery. Compared to Medicare patients, patients insured with Medicaid (OR 2.058; p < 0.0001), private insurance (OR 1.057; p = 0.0182), or self-pay (OR 1.570; p < 0.0001) were more likely to receive a complex surgery. ZIP codes with higher adult poverty (OR 2.614; p < 0.001) were more likely complex surgery patients, whereas those with higher rates of high school attendance (OR 0.487; p = 0.0193) and home occupancy (OR 0.704; p = 0.0047) were less likely to be complex. Conclusions Selected patient- and community-level factors including being male, Black, Asian, Hispanic, non-Medicare, or within lower education, higher poverty ZIP codes were associated with a higher likelihood of receiving complex cataract surgery.

How to Assess the Adequacy of Pension Benefits? The Case of Argentina

This paper aims to determine what conditions must the old-age transfers granted by the pension system meet to be considered adequate and presents indicators capable of quantifying this dimension of the pension performance. To this end, it is first analyzed what is meant by adequacy of the pension assets, summarizing two of its main requirements: 1) consumption smoothing and 2) prevention of poverty in adulthood. Regarding the first requirement, replacement rates are studied in their role as suitable indicators to evaluate consumption smoothing and the value of different variants of them in the case of the Argentine pension system is computed. Regarding the second condition, the ways of measuring poverty in people aged 60 and over are examined in depth. Finally, the magnitude of a minimum benefit for the elderly to have access to a basic food basket in Argentina is determined.

"Mtoto Wa Nyoka Ni Nyoka," The Child of a Snake is a Snake: A Narrative Analysis of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Perpetration of Interpersonal Violence Among Men in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Childhood exposure to adversity, including abuse and neglect, is consistently found to be a predictor of intimate partner violence (IPV) and peer violence (PV) perpetration in adulthood. The purpose of this study is to qualitatively examine factors that may facilitate or impede the use of violence among those who have been exposed to adversity early in life. We are particularly interested in protective experiences or environments for these participants. The qualitative data were analyzed through thematic coding and narrative analysis of participant life histories.We found three salient themes: (a) parental acceptance and early attachment is protective for coping with stress with intimate partners in adulthood; (b) certain key life turning points can provide a protective context against violent behavior in adulthood; and (c) poverty in adulthood compromises one’s ability to cope with stress and anger in adulthood.Our findings contextualize the different factors that may affect the behavior of perpetration of interpersonal violence among high-risk men in Dar es Salaam who have been exposed to adversity in childhood. These findings provide important information on the risk and protective factors for interpersonal violence spanning from childhood to adulthood. This study highlights the importance of child development interventions in this situation, both for the primary prevention of child adversity and for promoting resilience and mitigating the effects of childhood adversity that put men at risk for perpetration of interpersonal violence in adulthood.

Childhood Adversity and Energy Poverty

We use data from China Family Panel Studies to examine the effects of being a child or adolescent in China’s Great Famine on the likelihood of being in energy poverty in adulthood. We find that a one unit increase in the intensity of the Famine, measured by the number of excess deaths per 100 people, is associated with a 1.8-3.5 percentage points decline in the probability of being in energy poverty in adulthood, depending on the exact specification and measure of energy poverty. We find that personal income is a channel through which being a child or adolescent during the Great Famine affects the proclivity to be in energy poverty later in life. These findings are robust to alternative ways of measuring childhood adversity and energy poverty.

A Comparative Study on Determinants of Child Poverty in Turkey and European Countries

In this study, which aims to express the children who will play the most important role in the development of societies and their inequality problems; child poverty in Turkey and European countries are discussed comparatively. Child poverty; It can be defined as a multidimensional set of deprivations that make it difficult for children to participate in society as full and equal individuals later in their lives. A generally accepted definition and measurement method of child poverty, which differs from adult poverty, offers researchers as well as the opportunity to develop and monitor sound poverty reduction targets and strategies for policy makers. In this study, both before and after social transfers social transfers in Turkey, the child poverty rate in the European is seen as among the top three countries with the highest. It has also been observed that the poverty rate in children is significantly higher compared to adult poverty and general poverty levels. Problems in primary distribution regarding child poverty could not be solved as a result of secondary distribution. This situation points to the limitation of policies and an important representation problem. It has also been observed that the poverty rate in children is significantly higher compared to adult poverty and general poverty levels. According to the results from comparative charts and analyzes, similar to the studies and discussions on child poverty; It is possible to say that focusing on policies and regulations regarding the education sector and the labor market are the most important steps in combating child poverty.

Poverty and food insecurity of older adults living in social housing in Ontario: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundPoverty and food insecurity have been linked to poor health and morbidity, especially in older adults. Housing is recognized as a social determinant of health, and very little is known about subjective poverty and food insecurity in the marginalized population of older adults living in subsidized social housing. We sought to understand poverty and food insecurity, as well as the risk factors associated with both outcomes, in older adults living in social housing in Ontario.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study using data collected from the Community Paramedicine at Clinic (CP@clinic) program. A total of 806 adult participants residing in designated seniors’ or mixed family-seniors’ social housing buildings attended CP@clinic within 14 communities across Ontario, Canada.ResultsThe proportion of older adults reporting poverty and food insecurity were 14.9 and 5.1%, respectively. Statistically significant risk factors associated with poverty were being a smoker (AOR = 2.38, 95% CI: 1.23–4.62), self-reporting feeling extremely anxious and/or depressed (AOR = 3.39, 95% CI: 1.34–8.62), and being food insecure (AOR = 23.52, 95% CI: 8.75–63.22). Statistically significant risk factors associated with food insecurity were being underweight (AOR = 19.79, 95% CI: 1.91–204.80) and self-reporting experiencing poverty (AOR = 23.87, 95% CI: 8.78–64.90). In those who self-reported being food secure, the dietary habits reported were consistent with a poor diet.ConclusionThe poverty rate was lower than expected which could be related to the surrounding environment and perceptions around wealth. Food insecurity was approximately twice that of the general population of older adults in Canada, which could be related to inaccessibility and increased barriers to healthy foods. For those who reported being food secure, dietary habits were considered poor. While social housing may function as a financial benefit and reduce perceived poverty, future interventions are needed to improve the quality of diet consumed by this vulnerable population.

Child Care Attendance and Educational and Economic Outcomes in Adulthood.

To test associations between onset of formal child care (in infancy or as a toddler), high school graduation, and employment earnings from ages 18 to 35 years. A 30-year prospective cohort follow-up study, with linkage to government administrative databases (N =3020). Exposure included formal child care, if any, by accredited caregivers in centers or residential settings at ages 6 months and 1, 1.5, 2, 3, and 4 years. A propensity score analysis was conducted to control for social selection bias. Of 2905 participants with data on child care use, 59.4% of male participants and 78.5% of female participants completed high school by age 22 to 23. Mean income at last follow-up (n = 2860) was $47 000 (Canadian dollars) (SD = 37 700) and $32 500 (SD = 26 800), respectively. Using group-based trajectory modeling, we identified 3 groups: formal child care onset in infancy (∼6 months), formal child care onset as a toddler (after 2.5 years), and never exposed. After propensity score weighting, boys with child care started in infancy had greater odds of graduating than those never exposed (odds ratio [OR] 1.39; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.18-1.63; P < .001). Boys attending child care had reduced odds of low income as young adults (infant onset: OR 0.60 [95% CI: 0.46-0.84; P < .001]; toddler onset: OR 0.63 [95% CI: 0.45-0.82; P < .001]). Girls' graduation rates and incomes revealed no significant association with child care attendance. For boys, formal child care was associated with higher high school completion rates and reduced risk of adult poverty. Benefits for boys may therefore extend beyond school readiness, academic performance, and parental workforce participation.

Making the transition: How asset building services can promote positive adult outcomes for foster youth

Foster youth in the U.S. often face a multitude of adverse outcomes, including low educational attainment, elevated rates of adult poverty, and disproportionately high levels of adult homelessness. One newer area of social policy research and advocacy, asset building, may help explain some of these disparities. Foster youth face several barriers to asset building. For example, many youth have several placements during their stay in care, resulting in youth receiving inconsistent schooling, mentoring, and support, and facing limited opportunities to work, save money, or build academic and professional networks. This paper examines the frequency with which transition-age foster youth receive asset building services and whether the youth who receive services experience improved outcomes compared to those who do not. Analyzing data from the National Youth in Transition Database and using a Propensity Score Matching methodology, this study finds that youth receiving Budgeting and Financial Education Services and Post-Secondary Education Services experience significantly improved outcomes, including reduced likelihood of homelessness and increased likelihood of employment and educational enrollment. However, only 29% of youth receive Budgeting and Financial Education Services, and only 19% of youth receive Post-Secondary Education Services. Service receipt also covaries with demographics, including race/ethnicity and education level. These findings have noteworthy implications for both policy and practice as asset building for foster youth is a potentially promising realm for public service expansion.

Multidimensional perspective of the poverty and dynamics of middle-aged and older adults in Taiwan

The purpose of this study is to assess the dynamics of multidimensional poverty and inequality among middle-aged and older adults. The findings demonstrate that most people may experience multidimensional poverty in old age. Social participation plays a crucial role in contributing to overall poverty. The most prominent factor of inequality among those in poverty is sex, and the greatest disparity in the multidimensional poverty across subgroups is education. This study offers empirical evidence on the old age poverty profile from a multidimensional perspective and helps to target disadvantaged groups and regions.

Intervening on the Developmental Course of Children With Borderline Intellectual Functioning With a Multimodal Intervention: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial.

An adverse social environment is a major risk factor for borderline intellectual functioning (BIF), a condition characterized by an intelligence quotient (IQ) within the low range of normality (70–85) with difficulties in the academic achievements and adaptive behavior. Children with BIF show impairments in planning, language, movement, emotion regulation, and social abilities. Moreover, the BIF condition exposes children to an increased risk of school failures and the development of mental health problems, and poverty in adulthood. Thus, an early and effective intervention capable of improving the neurodevelopmental trajectory of children with BIF is of great relevance.AimThe present work aims to report the results of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in which an intensive, integrated and innovative intervention, the movement cognition and narration of the emotions (MCNT) was compared to standard speech therapy (SST) for the treatment of children with BIF.MethodsThis was a multicenter, interventional, single blind RCT with two groups of children with BIF: the experimental treatment (MCNT) and the treatment as usual (SST). A mixed factorial ANOVA was carried out to assess differences in the effectiveness between treatments. Primary outcome measures were: WISC III, Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Vineland II, and Movement ABC.ResultsMCNT proved to be more effective than SST in the increment of full-scale IQ (p = 0.0220), performance IQ (p < 0.0150), socialization abilities (p = 0.0220), and behavior (p = 0.0016). No improvement was observed in motor abilities. Both treatments were linked to improvements in verbal memory, selective attention, planning, and language comprehension. Finally, children in the SST group showed a significant worsening in their behavior.ConclusionOur data show that an intensive and multimodal treatment is more effective than a single domain treatment for improving intellectual, adaptive and behavioral functioning in children with BIF. These improvements are relevant as they might represent protective factors against the risk of school failure, poverty and psychopathology to which children with BIF are exposed in the adult age. Limitations of the study are represented by the small number of subjects and the lack of a no-treatment group.Clinical Trial RegistrationISRCTN Registry (isrctn.com), identifier ISRCTN81710297.

Young adult poverty in historical perspective: The role of policy supports and early labor market experiences

Recent research using an improved measure of poverty finds that poverty has fallen by nearly forty percent since the 1960s in the United States. But past research has not examined whether this finding holds across detailed demographic groups who might be more or less vulnerable to poverty. This paper helps fill that gap, focusing on one such vulnerable subgroup: young adults. Using the Current Population Survey, this paper examines long-term trends in young adult poverty in comparison to other groups. In contrast to almost all other groups, young adults have seen no decrease in poverty since the 1960s. We explore potential reasons for this fact, finding that young adults lack access to benefits from government programs, and are increasingly unmarried, living alone, and disconnected from the labor market, factors that leave young adults more vulnerable than other groups to poverty. The findings have implications for how antipoverty policies might assist this vulnerable group.

Decoding the Metabolome and Lipidome of Child Malnutrition by Mass Spectrometric Techniques: Present Status and Future Perspectives.

Child malnutrition (CM) is a global public health problem. It contributes to poor health in one in four children under five years worldwide and causes serious health problems in children, including stunted, wasted, and overweight growth. These serious public health issues lead to a higher chance of living in poverty in adulthood. Malnutrition is related with reduced economic productivity and increases the serious national and international burden. Currently, there is no meaningful therapeutic intervention of CM, and the use of different therapeutic foods has shown poor outcomes among supplemented malnourished children. The role of metabolites and lipids has been extensively recognized as early determinants of child health, but their contribution in CM and its pathobiology are poorly understood. This perspective provides a most recent update on these aspects. After briefly introducing the disciplines of metabolomics and lipidomics, we describe a mass spectrometry-based metabolic workflow for analysis of both metabolites and lipids and summarize several recent applications of metabolomics and lipidomics in CM. Finally, we discuss the future directions of the field toward the development of meaningful interventions for CM through metabolomics and lipidomics advances.