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Title

Abstract

Age-appropriate infant and young child feeding practices are associated with child nutrition in India: insights from nationally representative data

Age-appropriate infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are critical to child nutrition. The objective of this paper was to examine the associations between age-appropriate IYCF practices and child nutrition outcomes in India using data from similar to 18 463 children of 0–23.9 months old from India’s National Family Health Survey, 3 June 2005. The outcome measures were child height-for-age z-score (HAZ), weight-for-age z-score (WAZ), weight-for-height z-score, stunting, underweight and wasting. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used, accounting for the clustered survey data. Regression models were adjusted for child, maternal, and household characteristics, and state and urban/rural residence. The analyses indicate that in India suboptimal IYCF practices are associated with poor nutrition outcomes in children. Early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding were not associated with any of the nutrition outcomes considered. Not consuming any solid or semi-solid foods at 6–8.9 months was associated with being underweight (P < 0.05). The diet diversity score and achieving minimum diet diversity (similar to 4 food groups) for children 6–23 months of age were most strongly and significantly associated with HAZ, WAZ, stunting and underweight (P < 0.05). Maternal characteristics were also strongly associated with child undernutrition. In summary, poor IYCF practices, particularly poor complementary foods and feeding practices, are associated with poor child nutrition outcomes in India, particularly linear growth.

Trade flows and trade disputes

This paper introduces a new data set and establishes a set of basic facts and patterns regarding the ‘trade’ that countries fight about under WTO dispute settlement. It characterises the scope of products, as well as the levels of and changes to the trade values, market shares, volumes, and prices for those goods that eventually become subject to WTO litigation. The first result is striking heterogeneity in the level of market access at stake across disputes: e.g. 14% of cases over disputed import products feature bilateral trade that is less than $1 million per year, and another 15% feature bilateral trade that is more than $1 billion per year. Nevertheless, some strong patterns emerge from a more detailed examination of the data. Both high- and low-income complainants tend to suffer important losses in foreign market access in the products that ultimately become subject to dispute. Furthermore, while the respondent’s imposition of an allegedly WTO-inconsistent policy is associated with reductions, on average, to trade values, volumes and exporter-received prices, there is some evidence of differences in the size of these changes across both the different types of policies under dispute and the potential exporter country litigants. Finally, these different types of policies under dispute can have dissimilar trade effects for the complainant relative to other (non-complainant) exporters of the disputed product, and this is likely to affect the litigation allegiance of third countries.

A Feminisation of Vulnerability? Female Headship, Poverty, and Vulnerability in Thailand and Vietnam

This article investigates whether heterogeneous subgroups of female-headed households are worse off than households headed by men. It analyses the correlates of consumption, shock exposure, and severity, as well as vulnerability to poverty. Using panel data of over 4000 rural households from Thailand and Vietnam, strong evidence of heterogeneity among subgroups of female-headed households are found. In particular, in comparison with male headed households de facto female-headed ones are found to be richer in Thailand, but prone to more severe shocks in both countries. Furthermore, our results suggest that in Thailand single female-headed households are less vulnerable to poverty than households headed by men. However, in Vietnam these households are particularly poor and vulnerable to poverty; we show that this is mostly due to their greater poverty rather than their higher risk exposure. Our findings suggest that differentiation by subgroups of headship is important for policy development and targeting as well as future research.

Title

Abstract

Age-appropriate infant and young child feeding practices are associated with child nutrition in India: insights from nationally representative data

Trade flows and trade disputes

A Feminisation of Vulnerability? Female Headship, Poverty, and Vulnerability in Thailand and Vietnam

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Title	Abstract
Age-appropriate infant and young child feeding practices are associated with child nutrition in India: insights from nationally representative data	Age-appropriate infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are critical to child nutrition. The objective of this paper was to examine the associations between age-appropriate IYCF practices and child nutrition outcomes in India using data from similar to 18 463 children of 0–23.9 months old from India’s National Family Health Survey, 3 June 2005. The outcome measures were child height-for-age z-score (HAZ), weight-for-age z-score (WAZ), weight-for-height z-score, stunting, underweight and wasting. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used, accounting for the clustered survey data. Regression models were adjusted for child, maternal, and household characteristics, and state and urban/rural residence. The analyses indicate that in India suboptimal IYCF practices are associated with poor nutrition outcomes in children. Early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding were not associated with any of the nutrition outcomes considered. Not consuming any solid or semi-solid foods at 6–8.9 months was associated with being underweight (P < 0.05). The diet diversity score and achieving minimum diet diversity (similar to 4 food groups) for children 6–23 months of age were most strongly and significantly associated with HAZ, WAZ, stunting and underweight (P < 0.05). Maternal characteristics were also strongly associated with child undernutrition. In summary, poor IYCF practices, particularly poor complementary foods and feeding practices, are associated with poor child nutrition outcomes in India, particularly linear growth.
Trade flows and trade disputes	This paper introduces a new data set and establishes a set of basic facts and patterns regarding the ‘trade’ that countries fight about under WTO dispute settlement. It characterises the scope of products, as well as the levels of and changes to the trade values, market shares, volumes, and prices for those goods that eventually become subject to WTO litigation. The first result is striking heterogeneity in the level of market access at stake across disputes: e.g. 14% of cases over disputed import products feature bilateral trade that is less than $1 million per year, and another 15% feature bilateral trade that is more than $1 billion per year. Nevertheless, some strong patterns emerge from a more detailed examination of the data. Both high- and low-income complainants tend to suffer important losses in foreign market access in the products that ultimately become subject to dispute. Furthermore, while the respondent’s imposition of an allegedly WTO-inconsistent policy is associated with reductions, on average, to trade values, volumes and exporter-received prices, there is some evidence of differences in the size of these changes across both the different types of policies under dispute and the potential exporter country litigants. Finally, these different types of policies under dispute can have dissimilar trade effects for the complainant relative to other (non-complainant) exporters of the disputed product, and this is likely to affect the litigation allegiance of third countries.
A Feminisation of Vulnerability? Female Headship, Poverty, and Vulnerability in Thailand and Vietnam	This article investigates whether heterogeneous subgroups of female-headed households are worse off than households headed by men. It analyses the correlates of consumption, shock exposure, and severity, as well as vulnerability to poverty. Using panel data of over 4000 rural households from Thailand and Vietnam, strong evidence of heterogeneity among subgroups of female-headed households are found. In particular, in comparison with male headed households de facto female-headed ones are found to be richer in Thailand, but prone to more severe shocks in both countries. Furthermore, our results suggest that in Thailand single female-headed households are less vulnerable to poverty than households headed by men. However, in Vietnam these households are particularly poor and vulnerable to poverty; we show that this is mostly due to their greater poverty rather than their higher risk exposure. Our findings suggest that differentiation by subgroups of headship is important for policy development and targeting as well as future research.

Title	Abstract
Age-appropriate infant and young child feeding practices are associated with child nutrition in India: insights from nationally representative data	Age-appropriate infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are critical to child nutrition. The objective of this paper was to examine the associations between age-appropriate IYCF practices and child nutrition outcomes in India using data from similar to 18 463 children of 0–23.9 months old from India’s National Family Health Survey, 3 June 2005. The outcome measures were child height-for-age z-score (HAZ), weight-for-age z-score (WAZ), weight-for-height z-score, stunting, underweight and wasting. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used, accounting for the clustered survey data. Regression models were adjusted for child, maternal, and household characteristics, and state and urban/rural residence. The analyses indicate that in India suboptimal IYCF practices are associated with poor nutrition outcomes in children. Early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding were not associated with any of the nutrition outcomes considered. Not consuming any solid or semi-solid foods at 6–8.9 months was associated with being underweight (P < 0.05). The diet diversity score and achieving minimum diet diversity (similar to 4 food groups) for children 6–23 months of age were most strongly and significantly associated with HAZ, WAZ, stunting and underweight (P < 0.05). Maternal characteristics were also strongly associated with child undernutrition. In summary, poor IYCF practices, particularly poor complementary foods and feeding practices, are associated with poor child nutrition outcomes in India, particularly linear growth.
Trade flows and trade disputes	This paper introduces a new data set and establishes a set of basic facts and patterns regarding the ‘trade’ that countries fight about under WTO dispute settlement. It characterises the scope of products, as well as the levels of and changes to the trade values, market shares, volumes, and prices for those goods that eventually become subject to WTO litigation. The first result is striking heterogeneity in the level of market access at stake across disputes: e.g. 14% of cases over disputed import products feature bilateral trade that is less than $1 million per year, and another 15% feature bilateral trade that is more than $1 billion per year. Nevertheless, some strong patterns emerge from a more detailed examination of the data. Both high- and low-income complainants tend to suffer important losses in foreign market access in the products that ultimately become subject to dispute. Furthermore, while the respondent’s imposition of an allegedly WTO-inconsistent policy is associated with reductions, on average, to trade values, volumes and exporter-received prices, there is some evidence of differences in the size of these changes across both the different types of policies under dispute and the potential exporter country litigants. Finally, these different types of policies under dispute can have dissimilar trade effects for the complainant relative to other (non-complainant) exporters of the disputed product, and this is likely to affect the litigation allegiance of third countries.
A Feminisation of Vulnerability? Female Headship, Poverty, and Vulnerability in Thailand and Vietnam	This article investigates whether heterogeneous subgroups of female-headed households are worse off than households headed by men. It analyses the correlates of consumption, shock exposure, and severity, as well as vulnerability to poverty. Using panel data of over 4000 rural households from Thailand and Vietnam, strong evidence of heterogeneity among subgroups of female-headed households are found. In particular, in comparison with male headed households de facto female-headed ones are found to be richer in Thailand, but prone to more severe shocks in both countries. Furthermore, our results suggest that in Thailand single female-headed households are less vulnerable to poverty than households headed by men. However, in Vietnam these households are particularly poor and vulnerable to poverty; we show that this is mostly due to their greater poverty rather than their higher risk exposure. Our findings suggest that differentiation by subgroups of headship is important for policy development and targeting as well as future research.

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