Abstract Objectives: This study examines aspects of women’s empowerment related to the nutritional status of under-five children in Bangladesh, including their age-appropriate food intake and access to healthcare during acute respiratory tract infection (ARI). Design: Three waves of the Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey (BDHS) data (2011, 2014, 2017-18) were pulled and utilized to construct three domains of the survey-based women’s empowerment index, such as social independence, intrinsic agency, and instrumental agency. The Height-for-Age Z (HAZ), Weight-for-Age Z (WAZ), and Weight-for-Height Z (WHZ) scores were used to measure the nutritional status of offspring. Two variables were generated to measure age-appropriate food intake and treatment-seeking from medically trained providers (MTPs) at the commencement of ARI. Generalized structural equation modelling was performed to develop pathways between women’s empowerment and children’s nutritional status. Settings: Data was collected from eight administrative divisions in Bangladesh. Participants: A total of 18706 married women aged 15-45 years residing with their husbands and having at least one under-five child. Results: Women’s social independence was positively associated with HAZ 0.25 (95% CI: 0.22, 0.28), WAZ 0.21 (0.18,0.24), WHZ 0.06 (0.02,0.09). Intrinsic agency positively influenced HAZ 0.03 (0.02,0.04) and WAZ 0.02 (0.01,0.02). Both social independence and intrinsic agency promoted appropriate feeding, while instrumental agency had a negative effect on food consumption -0.0026 (–0.005, –0.0002). Both age-appropriate food intake and seeking treatment from MTPs during recent ARI episodes improved nutritional outcomes of offspring. Conclusion: Maternal social independence and intrinsic agency enhance the nutritional status, food consumption, and healthcare access of offspring in Bangladesh.
Jolly et al. (Wed,) studied this question.