eprintid: 3981
rev_number: 4
eprint_status: archive
userid: 1
dir: disk0/00/00/39/81
datestamp: 2022-08-24 09:45:43
lastmod: 2022-08-24 09:45:43
status_changed: 2022-08-24 09:45:43
type: thesis
metadata_visibility: show
sword_depositor: 1
creators_name: Vriens, Jan
creators_id: S2753200
creators_email: janvriens13@gmail.com
title: A quantitative study on the effects of socioeconomic status on nutritional status in Sub-Saharan African countries dealing with the double burden of malnutrition
ispublished: unpub
full_text_status: public
abstract: This research paper aims to contribute to the available body of knowledge on the relationship between
socioeconomic status [SES] and nutritional status by focusing on women in developing countries
dealing with the double burden of (mal)nutrition. Earlier research on this topic found weakening or
disappearing relationships in developing countries with increasing obesity levels, and this paper posits
that this could be due to the fact that this relationship need not be linear. The countries Cameroon,
Lesotho and Zimbabwe were chosen for this purpose, based on prior research on the double burden of
(mal)nutrition.
The Capability Approach was used to explain this possible nonlinear relationship theoretically, and to
build an empirical model which could be analyzed with Ordered Probit Regression models using data
from the Demographic and Health Surveys [DHS]. One separate model for each country, as well as one
bigger model for all countries combined, were examined to provide an answer to the research question: 
“What are the effects of socioeconomic status on nutritional status for women in Sub-Saharan African
countries dealing with the double burden of (mal)nutrition?”
The results showed that there was a significant positive linear relationship between SES and BMI for
each country separately, as well as for the combined sample. Indicating that in countries dealing with the
double burden of (mal)nutrition, the propensity for individuals to have a higher BMI increases as their
SES increases. 
In conclusion, this direction of linearity which is normally found in underdeveloped regions indicates
that either this research paper misjudged the level of development in Cameroon, Lesotho and
Zimbabwe, or that their transition will occur at a later stage of development than what previously has
been found in other regions
date: 2022
pages: 38
thesis_type: master
degree_programme: POPST
tutors_name: Haisma, H.H.
tutors_organization: Fac. Ruimtelijke wetenschappen, Basiseenheid Demografie
tutors_email: H.H.Haisma@rug.nl
security: public
keywords_local: Nutritional Status
keywords_local: Double burden of nutrition
keywords_local: Socioeconomic status
keywords_local: Capability Approach
language_iso: en
date_issued: 2022-08-23
citation:   Vriens, Jan  (2022) A quantitative study on the effects of socioeconomic status on nutritional status in Sub-Saharan African countries dealing with the double burden of malnutrition.  Master thesis.   
document_url: https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/3981/1/FinalThesis_Vriens_s2753200.pdf