In low- and middle-income countries, disparities in nutrition between men and women represent a significant source of gender inequality, a challenge that is exacerbated by climate shocks. This study examines the impact of droughts on food consumption and nutrition across age and gender cohorts in rural Bangladesh. We utilize georeferenced climate data and panel data from surveys in rural Bangladesh. Findings reveal that droughts lead to an 8.4 % reduction in food expenditure and a decrease in calories, protein, and fat intake by 5.7 %, 5.5 %, and 8.2 %, respectively. The effects are disproportionate across age groups in the household. Women experience a greater decline in food consumption and nutritional intake compared to men, with elderly women being the most severely affected group. Additionally, droughts lead to a less balanced diet, marked by decreased consumption of nutrient-rich animal-source and plant-based foods and an increased reliance on cereals. While safety nets help mitigate the adverse effects of droughts, they do not fully restore consumption to pre-drought levels. Findings from this study highlight the need for targeted interventions that address the specific vulnerabilities of different demographic groups and enhance the effectiveness of safety nets.

中文翻译：

---

气候变化的平等暴露和不平等影响：孟加拉国农村地区对食品消费和营养的性别影响


在低收入和中等收入国家，男女营养差距是性别不平等的重要根源，气候冲击加剧了这一挑战。本研究考察了干旱对孟加拉国农村年龄和性别群体的食品消费和营养的影响。我们利用了地理参考气候数据和来自孟加拉国农村调查的面板数据。研究结果表明，干旱导致食品支出减少 8.4%，卡路里、蛋白质和脂肪摄入量分别减少 5.7%、5.5% 和 8.2%。这种影响在家庭中的各个年龄组之间是不成比例的。与男性相比，女性的食物消费和营养摄入量下降幅度更大，其中老年女性受影响最严重。此外，干旱导致饮食不均衡，其特点是营养丰富的动物源性和植物性食物消费减少，以及对谷物的依赖增加。虽然安全网有助于减轻干旱的不利影响，但它们并不能将消费量完全恢复到干旱前的水平。这项研究的结果强调了采取有针对性的干预措施的必要性，以解决不同人口群体的特定脆弱性并提高安全网的有效性。