Nutritional poverty trend in children of urban and rural areas in Kerman province: Cohort approach (1984-2012)

Nutrition and access to it are important aspects of poverty analysis in multidimensional perspective. Measurement of nutritional poverty indices is important to inform policy makers about distributive effects of policy strategies on household and child welfare. The aim of this study was to determine nutritional poverty trend in children of urban and rural areas in Kerman province from 1984 to 2012. This trend analysis was conducted in Kerman Province during 2013. The nutritional poverty trend was measured in children of urban and rural areas using the data from the income-expenditure survey. Food calorie and the Foster, Greer and Thorbecke index were measured in the households. Childhood was divided into four age groups. Data were analyzed based on the ratio, gap and severity of poverty. The nutritional poverty rate was different across the age groups in urban and rural households with child. The highest nutritional poverty was found in 2009 in both urban and rural households. The nutritional poverty rate in 0-5 year’s old age group was lower than the other age groups in both urban and rural areas and in most years. Nutritional poverty was higher and more severe in rural areas compared to urban areas. With regards to the results, provincial and regional policy makers should more emphasize on nutritional poverty reduction in rural areas.