There's no place like home : urban-rural differentials in nutritional status among children in Ethiopia

Children under 5 years of age in Ethiopia experience one of the highest rates of malnourishment in the world. Though there is a growing body of literature outlining determinants of children’s nutritional status, little attention has been given to the nutritional status of the rapidly increasing urban population of children. In this study, I contribute to this gap by asking, “What is the relationship between household residential location, feeding practices of children under 5 years of age and nutritional status?” Using data from the 2000 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey, I find that rural children continue to have worse nutritional status outcomes than urban children. I also find that liquid foods, mother’s occupation and household characteristics all are significant externalities associated with household residential location, that impact urban-rural differences in nutritional intake among young Ethiopian children.