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Assessing the Effect of Conditional Cash Transfers in Children Chronic Stunting: The Human Development Bonus in Ecuador
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Analiti a, Revista de análisis estadístico, Vol. 13 (1), 2017
are hypothesised to meddle this problem.
In general, the nutritional status is the product of the balance between the needs and
the uses of food energy and other essential nutrients; but also the result of multiple physical,
biological, cultural, psychosocial, economic and environmental elements (Figueroa, 2004).
Given that it is a multidimensional problem the range of outcomes under study is broad,
though children stunting (measured as height-for-age z-scores compared to WHO 2006 stan-
dards) is of major concern since it is considered an indicator useful to assess capabilities
acquirement (Banarjee and Duflo, 2011). The documented causes of stunting (Figure 1)
root form the interconnected linkages between the immediate lower level (children) and the
intermediate and higher levels (household and community).
Figure 1:
Causes of Stunting at Community, Household, and Individual level
Source:
(World Bank, 2007)
Note:
EF=exclusive breastfeeding, ARI=Acute respiratory infections, HH=household,
PP=purchasing power
As evidenced, there are three proximate causes, inadequate food intake, low weight at
birth and poor health status, each associated with problems at the household level, e.g.
inadequate healthcare and sanitation practices, and at the community level, e.g. local econ-
omy and social infrastructure (World Bank, 2007). In the modelling of these determinants,
a recurrent element is the conceptualisation of parental or caretakers’ concern of immediate
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