After the Rain - How Flood Exposure Impacts Acute Childhood Undernutrition in West Africa

• In Event: Sociology of Population Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 2. Reproductive Health

Abstract

West Africa is among the most climate-vulnerable regions of the world, where floods have become increasingly frequent and severe. While prior research has emphasized the impact of drought, little is known about how floods affect child nutrition. This paper examines whether recent flood exposure, defined as a flood occurring within 12 months prior to the interview, influences acute child undernutrition in 12 West African countries. Drawing on 44 Demographic and Health Surveys (2000–2023) linked with geocoded disaster data (GDIS, EM-DAT), I analyze 270,850 child records. Preliminary results indicate that children exposed to recent floods have significantly lower weight-for-height z-scores (–0.11 SD, p<0.001) and have 20% higher odds of being wasted. The effects of flooding on childhood wasting are strongest among younger children and are partly buffered by maternal education. Current findings highlight the detrimental immediate impacts of flooding on child nutrition.

Author

• Khandys Agnant, McGill University