We estimate the income elasticity for a variety of macro- and micronutrients using a sample of poor rural households in Mexico. The nutrient-income elasticity is estimated using both parametric and semiparametric methods. A special focus is placed on the nonlinearity of the relationship between nutrient intake and income and on measurement error and endogeneity issues. One major finding is that income elasticity for calories is close to zero when we control for measurement error issues. For some nutrients, namely fats, vitamin A and C, calcium, and heme iron, we find a sizeable positive income elasticity robust to the choice of the estimator and percentiles at which it is evaluated. These nutrients are also those for which we find the largest deficiency in our sample. In addition, we find that for the poorest households in our sample, the deficiency of total energy, protein, and zinc is not accompanied by a positive income elasticity. Copyright (c) 2009 International Association of Agricultural Economists.

We investigate the relationship between calories, food quality and household per capita expenditure using regression and semiparametric methods on a sample of poor households from rural Mexico, where Programa de Apoyo Alimentario (PAL), a targeted nutritional programme, is operating. The semiparametric method yields an estimate of the elasticity between calories and expenditure of 0.39 below the median and 0.28 above. The corresponding estimates of the elasticity of the calorie price are 0.48 below the median and 0.45 above. We also examine the extent to which the expenditure elasticity of the calorie price is explained by substitution between and within major food groups. We find that there is a very high incidence of substitution within cereals (especially for poor households) and that between group substitution explains at most 59% of the income elasticity for food quality. These estimates suggest that the potential of a cash transfer programme to have a positive impact on the food diversity and the nutritional status of households is quite limited.

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The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation launched at the UN in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Working with governments, businesses and civil society, we aim to transform food systems so that they deliver more nutritious food for all people, especially the most vulnerable. Recommended citationArimond M, Wiesmann D, Ramírez SR, Levy TS, Ma S, Zou Z, Herforth A, and Beal T. Food group diversity and nutrient adequacy: Dietary diversity as a proxy for micronutrient adequacy for different age and sex groups in Mexico and China. Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). Discussion

The aim of this study was to describe the reported energy, nutrient intake and adequacies in mexican children. We studied a national probabilistic sample of 3705 from 12 to 59 months of age in the National Survey of Health and Nutrition 2006 in Mexico (ENSANUT‐2006). A 7‐days semi‐quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used. Nutrient adequacies were estimated using the Dietary Reference Intakes and stratified according to area (urban or rural) and socioeconomic status (SES). SES was determined by household characteristics and possessions of goods and divided into tertiles (low, middle and high). Intake and dietary inadequacy risk (adequacy <50%) were estimated.Our results revealed that energy, macro and micro‐nutrient adequacies were lower in rural (RA) than in urban areas (UA). The risk of inadequacy (RI) in rural areas was: Energy: 16.5% RA vs 7.4% UA, vitamin A: 21.4% RA vs 10.6% UA, folate:17% RA vs 13.8 UA and calcium: 18.2% RA vs 11.2% UA.The RI was higher in the low SES: Energy: 14.9%, vitamin A: 18.4%, folate:17.7% and calcium: 18.3%. The RI iron was lower (<5%) in all areas and SES. However 1.6% of the median national total iron intake provides from to heme iron.Mexico is experiencing a inequalities across areas and socioeconomic status. This information can contribute to the decision making to focus the beneficiaries of food programs, using indicators of available and access to foods.