The impact of female literacy and poverty on malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Malnutrition remains a major public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where high levels of poverty and limited female literacy continue to influence maternal and child nutrition outcomes. Female literacy can improve household nutrition through better health knowledge,
childcare practices, and access to health services, yet its association with poverty and malnutrition at the regional level remains insufficiently examined. This study investigates the association between female literacy, poverty, and key malnutrition indicators in SSA using aggregated data from the World Bank World Development Indicators covering the period 2000- 2019. Multiple linear regression, lagged regression models, and first-difference analysis were employed to assess both current and temporal associations. The results indicate that poverty is the strongest predictor of maternal anemia, while higher female literacy is significantly associated with lower prevalence of child stunting and underweight. Specifically, a tenpercentage point increase in female literacy is associated with a 4.11 percentage point reduction in child stunting and a 2.04 percentage point reduction in child underweight prevalence. These findings also suggest that while improvements in female literacy contribute to better child nutrition outcomes, reducing maternal anemia requires broader strategies that address poverty, food insecurity, and access to  healthcare. Overall, coordinated efforts that improve female literacy alongside poverty reduction are essential for improving maternal and child nutrition outcomes in SSA.