English 
Français

Undernutrition among Roma and non-Roma children in the Western Balkans: prevalence and determinants of persistent inequalities, 2011-2020

Annalisa Busetta, University of Palermo
Valeria Cetorelli, United Nations
Chiara Puglisi, University of Bologna

Childhood undernutrition affects physical and cognitive growth and is strongly associated with morbidity and mortality. The pledge to ‘leave no one behind’, at the heart of the EU’s strategy to implement the SGDs, requires prioritizing policies that tackle inequalities and reach the most marginalized communities. Yet, Roma children in Western Balkans display to date incomparably higher levels of undernutrition, compared to non-Roma children. We explore the determinants of such dramatic differences. Even controlling for key socioeconomic and demographic factors, Roma children remain especially vulnerable to undernutrition, with some factors affecting differentially Roma and non-Roma children across countries. Children’s age, number of children in the household, type of place of residence and age of the mother at birth play different roles in different contexts. Our findings can inform policymakers on the most appropriate interventions to tackle the issue of undernutrition among marginalized communities.

Keywords: Children and youth, Health and morbidity, Inequality, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

See paper.

  Presented in Session 162. Child Care Arrangements: Patterns, Trends and Effects