Cross-sectional analysis finds maternal capital strongly influences stunting disparities in under-five children, highlighting that socioeconomic factors outweigh ethnic identity.
Socioeconomic and health inequality has been historically persistent between Indian tribal and non-tribal children. Deficiencies in maternal social and biological capitals affect child growth and development across generations. The present study compared the relative effects of maternal capital, ethnicity and socioeconomic status in determining child health outcomes using NFHS-5 (2019–21) data from India. The maternal education demonstrated differential protective effects between social groups, whereas wealth did not. Difference in stunting between tribal and non-tribal children was insignificant after controlling for maternal and household characteristics. The maternal capital and socioeconomic status were more significant determinants of stunting than ethnic identity.
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Hore et al. (2026) studied this question.
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