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With research staff from more than 60 countries, and offices across the globe, IFPRI provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.

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Agnes Quisumbing

Agnes Quisumbing is a Senior Research Fellow in the Poverty, Gender, and Inclusion Unit. She co-leads a research program that examines how closing the gap between men’s and women’s ownership and control of assets may lead to better development outcomes.

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Nutrition, Diets, and Health

Suman Chakrabarti

Associate Research Fellow

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Bio

Suman Chakrabarti is an Associate Research Fellow in the Nutrition, Diets, and Health Unit, part of the Food and Nutrition Policy Department, based in New Delhi. Suman supports research activities under the Transforming Agrifood Systems in South Asia (TAFSSA) and Partnerships and Opportunities to Strengthen and Harmonize Actions for Nutrition in India (POSHAN) projects.

Before joining IFPRI, he worked for several research institutes, universities, and development agencies, including the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, the University of California, and the World Bank. He holds a PhD in global health metrics from the University of Washington and graduate degrees in economics and statistics.

Languages: English, Hindi, Bengali

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Publications

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Abstract

Strengthening delivery platforms of national nutrition programs in subnational geographies in India improved coverage of interventions and child growth

2024Gune, Soyra; Alderman, Harold; Avula, Rasmi; Nguyen, Phuong; Chakrabarti, Suman
Details

Strengthening delivery platforms of national nutrition programs in subnational geographies in India improved coverage of interventions and child growth

Objectives: Between 2016 and 2020, novel system strengthening mechanisms were implemented in 63.9% (N=409) of India’s districts by the government in collaboration with multiple partners to enhance the delivery of essential nutrition interventions for women and children during the critical first 1,000 days. We evaluated the influence of these mechanisms on the coverage of interventions and child growth outcomes.

Year published

2024

Authors

Gune, Soyra; Alderman, Harold; Avula, Rasmi; Nguyen, Phuong; Chakrabarti, Suman

Citation

Gune, Soyra; Alderman, Harold; Avula, Rasmi; Nguyen, Phuong; and Chakrabarti, Suman. 2024. Strengthening delivery platforms of national nutrition programs in subnational geographies in India improved coverage of interventions and child growth. Current Developments in Nutrition 8 (Supplement 2): 102949. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2024.102949

Country/Region

India

Keywords

Asia; Nutrition; Child Development; State Intervention; Maternal and Child Health

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-NC-ND-3.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2024.102949 Source record

Record type

Abstract

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Journal Article

Effects of a large-scale alcohol ban on population-level alcohol intake, weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, and domestic violence in India: A quasi-experimental population-based study

2024Chakrabarti, Suman; Christopher, Anita; Scott, Samuel P.; Kishore, Avinash; Nguyen, Phuong
Details

Effects of a large-scale alcohol ban on population-level alcohol intake, weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, and domestic violence in India: A quasi-experimental population-based study

Background Globally, alcohol consumption is a leading risk factor for deaths and disability and a causal factor in over 200 diseases, injuries, and health conditions. In April 2016, the manufacture, transport, sale, and consumption of alcohol was banned in Bihar, a populous Indian state. We sought to estimate the impacts of this ban on health outcomes and domestic violence. Methods Data from the Indian National Family Health Surveys (2005–06, 2015–16, 2019–21), Annual Health Survey (2013), and District Level Household Survey (2012), were used to conduct difference-in-differences (DID) analysis, comparing Bihar (n = 10,733 men, n = 88,188 women) and neighbouring states (n = 38,674 men, n = 284,820 women) before and after the ban. Outcomes included frequent (daily or weekly) alcohol consumption, underweight, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and intimate partner violence. A triple difference model adding male–female interaction to the DID model was also estimated. Attributable averted cases were calculated to estimate the impact of the ban. Findings Across all models, the ban led to reduced frequent alcohol consumption (DID: −7.1 percentage points (pp) (95% CI −9.6pp, −4.6pp), lower overweight/obesity (−5.6pp (−8.9, −2.2) among males, and reduced experiences of emotional (−4.8pp (−8.2pp, −1.4pp) and sexual (−5.5pp (−8.7pp, −2.3pp) violence among females. The ban prevented approximately 2.4 million cases of daily/weekly alcohol consumption and 1.8 million cases of overweight/obesity among males, and 2.1 million cases of intimate partner violence among females. Interpretation Strict alcohol regulation policies may yield significant population level health benefits for frequent drinkers and many victims of intimate partner violence.

Year published

2024

Authors

Chakrabarti, Suman; Christopher, Anita; Scott, Samuel P.; Kishore, Avinash; Nguyen, Phuong

Citation

Chakrabarti, Suman; Christopher, Anita; Scott, Samuel P.; Kishore, Avinash; and Nguyen, Phuong H. 2024. Effects of a large-scale alcohol ban on population-level alcohol intake, weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, and domestic violence in India: A quasi-experimental population-based study. Lancet Regional Health – Southeast Asia 26: 100427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lansea.2024.100427

Country/Region

India

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Alcoholic Beverages; Diabetes; Hypertension; Domestic Violence; Obesity; Public Health Legislation; Public Health

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-NC-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lansea.2024.100427 Source record

Record type

Journal Article

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Journal Article

Sweetened beverage tax implementation and change in Body Mass Index among children in Seattle

2024
Jones-Smith, Jessica C.; Knox, Melissa A.; Chakrabarti, Suman; Wallace, Jamie; Walkinshaw, Lina; Mooney, Stephen J.; Godwin, Jessica; Arterburn, David E.; Eavey, Joanna; Chan, Nadine
…more Saelens, Brian E.
Details

Sweetened beverage tax implementation and change in Body Mass Index among children in Seattle

Importance Sweetened beverage taxes have been associated with reduced purchasing of taxed beverages. However, few studies have assessed the association between sweetened beverage taxes and health outcomes. Objective To evaluate the association between the Seattle sweetened beverage tax and change in body mass index (BMI) among children. Design, Setting, and Participants In this longitudinal cohort study, anthropometric data were obtained from electronic medical records of 2 health care systems (Kaiser Permanente Washington [KP] and Seattle Children’s Hospital Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic [OBCC]). Children were included in the study if they were aged 2 to 18 years (between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2019); had at least 1 weight measurement every year between 2015 and 2019; lived in Seattle or in urban areas of 3 surrounding counties (King, Pierce, and Snohomish); had not moved between taxed (Seattle) and nontaxed areas; received primary health care from KP or OBCC; did not have a recent history of cancer, bariatric surgery, or pregnancy; and had biologically plausible height and BMI (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared). Data analysis was conducted between August 5, 2022, and March 4, 2024. Exposure Seattle sweetened beverage tax (1.75 cents per ounce on sweetened beverages), implemented on January 1, 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was BMIp95 (BMI expressed as a percentage of the 95th percentile; a newly recommended metric for assessing BMI change) of the reference population for age and sex, using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts. In the primary (synthetic difference-in-differences [SDID]) model used, a comparison sample was created by reweighting the comparison sample to optimize on matching to pretax trends in outcome among 6313 children in Seattle. Secondary models were within-person change models using 1 pretax measurement and 1 posttax measurement in 22 779 children and fine stratification weights to balance baseline individual and neighborhood-level confounders. Results The primary SDID analysis included 6313 children (3041 female [48%] and 3272 male [52%]). More than a third of children (2383 [38%]) were aged 2 to 5 years); their mean (SE) age was 7.7 (0.6) years. With regard to race and ethnicity, 789 children (13%) were Asian, 631 (10%) were Black, 649 (10%) were Hispanic, and 3158 (50%) were White. The primary model results suggested that the Seattle tax was associated with a larger decrease in BMIp95 for children living in Seattle compared with those living in the comparison area (SDID: −0.90 percentage points [95% CI, −1.20 to −0.60]; P < .001). Results from secondary models were similar. Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this cohort study suggest that the Seattle sweetened beverage tax was associated with a modest decrease in BMIp95 among children living in Seattle compared with children living in nearby nontaxed areas who were receiving care within the same health care systems. Taken together with existing studies in the US, these results suggest that sweetened beverage taxes may be an effective policy for improving children’s BMI. Future research should test this association using longitudinal data in other US cities with sweetened beverage taxes.

Year published

2024

Authors

Jones-Smith, Jessica C.; Knox, Melissa A.; Chakrabarti, Suman; Wallace, Jamie; Walkinshaw, Lina; Mooney, Stephen J.; Godwin, Jessica; Arterburn, David E.; Eavey, Joanna; Chan, Nadine; Saelens, Brian E.

Citation

Jones-Smith, Jessica C.; Knox, Melissa A.; Chakrabarti, Suman; Wallace, Jamie; Walkinshaw, Lina; Walkinshaw, Lina; et al. 2024. Sweetened beverage tax implementation and change in Body Mass Index among children in Seattle. JAMA Network Open 7(5): e2413644. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.13644

Country/Region

United States

Keywords

Americas; Northern America; Body Mass Index; Children; Beverages; Taxes

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.13644 Source record

Project

National Policies and Strategies

Record type

Journal Article

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32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists
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August 2 to 7, 2024

32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists

The triennial International Conference of Agricultural Economists (ICAE-2024), centred on the theme “Transformation Towards Sustainable Agri-Food Systems” is scheduled from August 2-7, 2024, in New Delhi, India. The conference offers a distinctive platform, providing a golden opportunity for the agricultural academic institutions and researchers to convene in person, exchange knowledge, and actively contribute to the […]