How does migration affect the food security and health of children and adults ?

Abstract

Food security and nutrition are crucial for well-being and global development, as emphasized by Sustainable Development Goal 2. Nevertheless, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) continue to face significant challenges related to food insecurity and malnutrition, adversely affecting health throughout the life course—from impaired child development to increased risks of non-communicable diseases in adults. Meanwhile, international migration has emerged as a key livelihood strategy in these regions. While research has explored migration's impact on household well-being, its complex interactions with food security, nutrition, and health across different household members remain underexplored. This study investigates how international migration affects the food security, nutrition, and health of left-behind households in rural Tajikistan. Using a large-scale dataset of 10,742 households and an instrumental variable approach, we find that migration significantly enhances food purchasing power, increases macronutrient intake, and improves diet quality and quantity. While children's health outcomes improve, the incidence of diet-related chronic diseases among adults rises. We also identify nonlinear relationships between migration duration and calorie intake (inverted U-shaped) and the General Dietary Quality Score (U-shaped), reflecting patterns observed in adult hypertension. These findings suggest that Tajikistan and other LMICs should implement policies to promote employment opportunities for rural households to improve food security and nutrition. Additionally, targeted interventions are necessary to ensure balanced nutrition and health education for migrant-sending communities and households with migrants.