title: A Systematic Review of the Effect of Remittances on Diet and Nutrition.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Remittance income is rising rapidly in most low- and middle-income countries. Despite nutrition being a key policy priority for health and development, we know little about the effect of remittance income on diets and nutrition.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify the effect of remittance income on nutrition.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic review of English-language studies providing information on the impact of remittances on food consumption, food expenditure, or measures of nutritional status, using a narrative synthesis approach for analysis. We searched the English-language published and gray literature using key words "remittances," "nutrition," and "diets."
  
  
  RESULTS
  This systematic review identified 20 studies that examined the effect of remittance income on food consumption, dietary intake, and nutritional status, 2 of which were qualitative studies. Overall, the quality of the studies was weak to moderate. These studies show that remittances can increase access to (purchased) food and may have a consumption smoothing effect, reducing households' vulnerability and leading to improved food security and reductions in underweight. However, remittances appear to have little effect on markers of chronic undernourishment. The studies also suggest that the extra income from remittances may compound trends toward purchasing less healthy (nontraditional) foods that are associated with the nutrition transition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is an urgent need for further research on the effect of remittances on nutrition and diets, with remittance income forecast to rise rapidly into the future. Programs to ensure that those households receiving remittances move beyond just meeting sufficient calories and improve dietary quality could create nutritional benefits.
authors.affiliation: Menzies Centre for Health Policy, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia annemarie.thow@sydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Anne Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Thow
authors.affiliation: School of Advanced International Studies and Berman Institute of Bioethics, Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fanzo
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Negin
mesh_terms: D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003906:Developing Countries; D004032:Diet / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D005502:Food / Q000191:economics; D005523:Food Supply; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009753:Nutritive Value; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: global policy; noncommunicable diseases; nutrition; undernutrition