Women's Work in Agriculture and Infant Nutrition

NCT03406182 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 9647
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 1,161
• Locations: 2 countries
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

Background Over the last 10 years there has been an increase in the female agriculture labour force, in Pakistan, resulting in a feminisation of agriculture; which could have either a positive or negative impact on maternal and young child nutrition. It could have a positive impact through increased female wage earnings that improve her bargaining/decision-making power within the household. Women are more likely than men to make pro-nutrition choices with regards to household expenditure. Conversely, women's involvement in agricultural work may have a negative impact on infant or maternal nutrition by reducing time available for child care, through increased expenditure of physical energy without compensatory increases in food consumption or exposure to harmful toxins present in pesticides and other chemicals used in farming. Understanding the dynamics of these pathways, in a specific context, is important to ensure agriculture programmes and policies do not disadvantage women or their children. Overall aim To provide insights into positive and negative pathways between women's work in agriculture and maternal and child nutritional status, in different agriculture workload contexts, to inform agriculture interventions and policies in Pakistan. Specific Objectives

1. 1.To determine whether the number of hours a mother participates in agriculture work is associated with maternal body mass index and infant nutrition.
2. 2.To identify factors that modify the influence of maternal participation in agriculture work on maternal and infant nutritional status.

Conditions

Malnutrition

Keywords

stunting; under-weight; Pakistan; infant; time-use; women; body mass index; growth

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Body mass index

  maternal weight divided by height squared

  First survey (December 2015-February 2016)

• Body mass index

  maternal weight divided by height squared

  Second survey (November-January 2017)

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Change in length-for-age Z-score

  first survey (December 2015-February 2016) and second survey (November 2016-January 2017)

• Infant and young child minimum dietary diversity (IYCMDD) score

  second survey (November 2016-January 2017)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 2 Weeks - 12 Weeks
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)
• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Community sample. Mother-infant dyads living in rural Sindh province, Pakistan. They were selected from 62 administrative villages with perennial canal irrigation.

You may qualify if:

• Infant aged ≥ 2 weeks and ≤ 12weeks of age on the day of the first interview
• Infant is apparently healthy without congenital deformations that effect their ability to eat and grow
• The primary caregiver (i.e. biological mother) intended to reside in the study area over the next 10 months.

You may not qualify if:

• Infant aged ≤ 2 weeks and ≥ 12weeks of age on the day of the first interview
• Infant with congenital deformations that effect their ability to eat and grow
• The primary caregiver is not the biological mother)
• The primary caregiver not intending to reside in the study area over the next 10 months.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine: lead

Study Sites (2)

Collective for Social Science Research

Karachi, Pakistan

Location

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

London, WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Malnutrition; Growth Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Nutrition Disorders; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: ECOLOGIC OR COMMUNITY
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 12, 2017
• First Posted: January 23, 2018
• Study Start: December 30, 2015
• Primary Completion: February 2, 2016
• Study Completion: February 1, 2017
• Last Updated: January 23, 2018

Record last verified: 2017-12

Locations

PA (1); GB (1)