HIV/AIDS and child malnutrition in eastern and southern Africa

HIV/AIDS and child malnutrition are pervasive in eastern and southern Africa. This paper employs cross-country panel data on 20 countries from 1991 to 2017 to explore the macro-level relationship between HIV/AIDS and child malnutrition. Using instrumental variables (IV) regression, we find that HIV/AIDS is a robust predictor of long-term and chronic malnutrition. Conditional on various controls, the results demonstrate a positive empirical association between HIV/AIDS and stunting. Moreover, increased access to improved water, female education, and food availability are critical for reducing stunting. These findings underscore the need for an integrated national policy on nutrition and HIV/AIDS and intersectoral collaboration between government agencies responsible for managing nutrition and HIV/AIDS programs.