Helen Moestue|Sharon Huttly|Lydia Sarella|Sheik Galab
‘The bigger the better’ – mothers' social networks and child nutrition in Andhra Pradesh
University of London|London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine|Centre for Economic and Social Studies|Centre for Economic and Social Studies
hypothesised mothers social networks positively affect child nutrition sharing health knowledge resources present study describes composition mothers networks examines association child nutrition assesses whether health knowledge shared within networkscrosssectional data mothers young children andhra pradesh south india combined existing data young lives study mothers participating n 282the composition social networks varied urban rural areas urban networks larger female literate greater proportion members living outside household nonfamily positive association childs heightforage zscore mothers network size network literacy rate association network literacy stronger among poorest households women commonly reported seeking receiving health advice network membersbig literate social networks associated better child nutrition especially among poor dissemination health knowledge network members plausible way social networks benefit child nutrition india research underlying mechanisms necessary inform development interventions channel health information word mouth excluded vulnerable families