ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the factors influencing the women’s body mass index and heights compared to men at the level of social groups, after controlling for individual and household characteristics, in the two states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, after bifurcation in 2014. The motivation for examining the nutritional outcomes across social groups in the bifurcated states arises out of the fact that the caste composition of these states changed after the bifurcation. Household amenities that affect the living standards, land possession categories, land ownership, irrigated land owned, age and education etc. are the controlling variables. This enabled us to assess the influence of caste on body mass index and heights of women, compared to men. Nutritional vulnerability of women across the social groups, could be assessed by using ordinary least squares and BMI quantiles and height quantiles. Vulnerability at the intersection of caste, gender, landlessness, predominantly female membered households could be assessed at various levels of BMI and heights. This chapter uses district health survey-4, (2012-13) data for men and women above the age of 20. The chapter also briefly analyses the influence of caste on body mass index and height of women, compared to men using NFHS-4 data for these two states in the age groups of 15-49.
The results show that the impact of social group on body mass index of men and women has been muted. Social group has no influence on men’s BMI both in OLS as well as quantile regressions, without an exception after controlling for household and individual characteristics. This is probably due to a more effective public distribution system which provides basic calories to the poor at affordable prices. BMI of women is higher in some social groups compared to the base category of other castes in Andhra Pradesh pointing to the problem of obesity among women. BMI quantiles for women show a significant negative influence of social groups on BMI, though it was not apparent in OLS. Social group being insignificant for men and significant for women is a pointer to intra household discrimination of women in poor households. Land possession levels adversely affect women’s BMI but there is no influence on men’s BMI, further pointing to a possible intra household discrimination. Discrimination by caste is quite apparent in heights of adults. All the same inter-generational catching up is apparent in all quantiles more so among men. Nutritional outcomes are determined by several factors, but household amenities appear to be an important factor that could equalise the nutritional outcomes.
In contrast to the DLHS-4 data analysis for adults above the age of 20, that shows social group as insignificant, the analysis of the NFHS-4 data for the age group 15-49, shows that social groups negatively influenced heights and BMI of men and women in Andhra, but influenced only women’s heights and body mass index in Telangana. Differential influence of Caste, in states that had same policy and program implementation for scheduled caste and scheduled tribes for decades is apparent after bifurcation.
