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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2026, Vol. 25 Issue (7): 3074-3085    DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2026.02.027
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Is intra-household nutrient allocation equitable?  Evidence from asymmetric expenditure responses in rural China

Yang Gao1, Zhihao Zheng2#, Ning Li1

1 Institute of Food and Strategic Reserves, Nanjing University of Finance & Economics, Nanjing 210023, China

2 College of Economics and Management, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China

 Highlights 
● The nutrient intake of rural residents responds more strongly to declines than to increases in household food expenditure.  
● There are significant differences in the allocation of nutrition among household members.
● Households prioritize improving the nutritional status of nutritionally vulnerable groups when food expenditure rises, while giving priority to sustaining nutrient intake of prime-age adults when expenditure falls. 
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摘要  

为了分析家庭内部的营养分配,我们采用了非对称模型以及2004年至2011年“中国健康与营养调查(CHNS)”的数据,考察了农村家庭内部不同人口群体之间支出弹性的差异。我们的分析揭示了家庭营养分配存在显著的异质性:在支出扩张时期,家庭会优先保证弱势成员(特别是儿童和老年人)的营养摄入,且具有明显的女孩偏向,但这往往是以牺牲青壮年(尤其是女性)为代价的。相反,在支出紧缩时期,家庭会转变策略,转而保护青壮年的营养摄入。这种非对称性突显了家庭内部资源分配的复杂性,并为设计考量经济波动的营养保障政策提供了重要的见解。



Abstract  

To analyze intra-household nutrient allocation, we examine the differences in expenditure elasticities across demographic groups within rural households, employing an asymmetric model along with data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) from 2004 to 2011.  Our analysis reveals significant heterogeneity in household nutrient allocation: during periods of expenditure expansion, households prioritize the nutritional intake of vulnerable members, specifically children and the elderly, often at the expense of prime-age adults, particularly women.  Conversely, during expenditure contraction, households shift strategies to protect the nutritional intake of prime-age adults.  This asymmetry underscores the complexity of intra-household distribution and provides critical insights for designing nutrition security policies that account for economic volatility.

Keywords:  intra-household nutrition allocation       asymmetric model        diet variety        nutrient adequacy ratio        rural China  
Received: 22 November 2024   Accepted: 27 January 2026 Online: 17 February 2026  
Fund: We acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (72403111) and the Social Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (23EYC007).
About author:  Yang Gao, E-mail: gaoyang_1949@126.com; #Correspondence Zhihao Zheng, E-mail: zhihao.zheng@cau.edu.cn

Cite this article: 

Yang Gao, Zhihao Zheng, Ning Li. 2026. Is intra-household nutrient allocation equitable?  Evidence from asymmetric expenditure responses in rural China. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 25(7): 3074-3085.

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