ON THE DETERMINANTS OF NUTRITION IN MOZAMBIQUE - THE IMPORTANCE OF AGE-SPECIFIC EFFECTS

The literature indicates mixed results regarding the impact of income and other variables on the age and gender standardized height-for-age of children. This paper uses data from Maputo, Mozambique to show that the impact of household resources or health inputs may be masked if d iverse age groups are aggregated. For example, increases in household incomes affect only the nutritional status of children two years of ag e and older. Conversely, for younger children, but not the older ones, mother's education is a significant determinant of anthropometric mea sures of nutritional status. This implies that education and efforts t o improve childcare practices can be targeted to mothers of younger ch ildren, but that these children will not achieve improved linear growt h from income-support programs, unlike alder children. (C) 1997 Elsevi er Science Ltd.