Using the Mean of Squared Deprivation Gaps to Measure Undernutrition and Related Socioeconomic Inequalities

Abstract

Drawing on the literature on poverty measurement, we suggest the application of the mean of squared deprivation gaps (MSDG), which captures the dimensions of level, depth and severity, as an alternative index of undernutrition. The application of this index can be intuitively justified by the biomedical finding that as nutritional shortfall increases, the physiological risks increase at an increasing rate. We have shown how we can analyze group inequality in nutritional deprivation among children using the subgroup consistency feature of the MSDG. Computing the MSDG (alternatively the share in total MSDG) for each wealth quintile, we have obtained CIMSDG, the concentration index based on MSDG among children in each of the major states of India. It may so happen that socioeconomic inequality in the level of undernutrition is abated but that in undernutrition, defined as a composite notion increases. The scenario of child underweight across wealth quintiles in some states depicts such a situation.

Keywords:

• Child undernutrition
• Mean of Squared Deprivation Gaps
• Group Inequality
• Concentration Index
• Measurement

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the two referees and Achin Chakraborty, Professor of Economics at the Institute of Development Studies Kolkata for useful comments and suggestions on the paper.

Notes

Detailed discussions on the issue of the identification of the poor based on absolute and relative notions of poverty are found in Sen (1983) and Subramanian (1997).

The monotonicity axiom requires that, given other things, a reduction in income of a person below the poverty line must increase the poverty measure. The transfer axiom requires that, given other things, a pure transfer of income from a person below the poverty line to anyone who is richer must increase the poverty measure (Sen, 1976; Kakwani, 1980).

The application of MSDG in the context of income poverty can also be justified by assuming that as income poverty rises, the objective hardships inflicted on the poor increase at an increasing rate.