Nutrition, Income Instability and Quality of Life: Determinants and Differential Patterns across Members within the Household

Date issued
Jan 2008
Using an approach that complements standard income-based measures with broader measures of well-being this paper addresses the relationship between quality of life and deprivation. In particular, this study uses nutritional insecurity and income instability as measures of deprivation and analyzes their relationship with perceived and objective well-being. First, this paper investigates whether, and to what extent, nutritional insecurity affects perceived well-being. The authors then try to understand who, within the household, bears more the consequences of nutritional insecurity, both in terms of perceived welfare and in terms of objective nutritional outcomes. Finally, this paper focuses on the relationship between perceived well-being and income instability.