Iron deficiency and schooling attainment in Peru

A key question in development economics is whether nutritional deficiencies generate intergenerational poverty traps by reducing the earnings potential of children born into poverty. To assess the causal influence on human capital of one of the most widespread micronutrient deficiencies, supplementa...

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Autores principales: Chong, Alberto, Cohen, Isabelle, Field, Erica, Nakasone, Eduardo, Torero, Máximo
Formato: Conference Paper
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: International Association of Agricultural Economists 2015
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/149696
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author Chong, Alberto
Cohen, Isabelle
Field, Erica
Nakasone, Eduardo
Torero, Máximo
author_browse Chong, Alberto
Cohen, Isabelle
Field, Erica
Nakasone, Eduardo
Torero, Máximo
author_facet Chong, Alberto
Cohen, Isabelle
Field, Erica
Nakasone, Eduardo
Torero, Máximo
author_sort Chong, Alberto
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description A key question in development economics is whether nutritional deficiencies generate intergenerational poverty traps by reducing the earnings potential of children born into poverty. To assess the causal influence on human capital of one of the most widespread micronutrient deficiencies, supplemental iron pills were made available at a local health center in rural Peru and adolescents were encouraged to take them up via classroom media messages. Results from school administrative records provide novel evidence that reducing iron deficiency results almost immediately in a large and significant improvement in school performance. For anemic students, an average of 10 100mg iron pills over three months improves average test scores by 0.4 standard deviations and increases the likelihood of grade progression by 11%. Supplementation also raises anemic students’ aspirations for the future. Both results indicate that cognitive deficits from iron-deficiency anemia contribute to a nutrition-based poverty trap. Our findings also demonstrate that, with low-cost outreach efforts in schools, supplementation programs offered through a public clinic can be both affordable and effective in reducing rates of adolescent IDA. Chong, Alberto; Cohen, Isabelle; Field, Erica; Nakasone, Eduardo; Torero, Maximo
format Conference Paper
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spelling CGSpace1496962025-02-24T06:47:12Z Iron deficiency and schooling attainment in Peru Chong, Alberto Cohen, Isabelle Field, Erica Nakasone, Eduardo Torero, Máximo anaemia education deficiencies nutrition trace elements children schools iron micronutrients poverty A key question in development economics is whether nutritional deficiencies generate intergenerational poverty traps by reducing the earnings potential of children born into poverty. To assess the causal influence on human capital of one of the most widespread micronutrient deficiencies, supplemental iron pills were made available at a local health center in rural Peru and adolescents were encouraged to take them up via classroom media messages. Results from school administrative records provide novel evidence that reducing iron deficiency results almost immediately in a large and significant improvement in school performance. For anemic students, an average of 10 100mg iron pills over three months improves average test scores by 0.4 standard deviations and increases the likelihood of grade progression by 11%. Supplementation also raises anemic students’ aspirations for the future. Both results indicate that cognitive deficits from iron-deficiency anemia contribute to a nutrition-based poverty trap. Our findings also demonstrate that, with low-cost outreach efforts in schools, supplementation programs offered through a public clinic can be both affordable and effective in reducing rates of adolescent IDA. Chong, Alberto; Cohen, Isabelle; Field, Erica; Nakasone, Eduardo; Torero, Maximo 2015-12-14 2024-08-01T02:49:46Z 2024-08-01T02:49:46Z Conference Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/149696 en https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/id/eprint/61301 https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20140494 Open Access International Association of Agricultural Economists Chong, Alberto; Cohen, Isabelle; Field, Erica; Nakasone, Eduardo; Torero, Maximo. 2015. Iron deficiency and schooling attainment in Peru. Presented at International Association of Agricultural Economists. 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy. https://purl.umn.edu/212629
spellingShingle anaemia
education
deficiencies
nutrition
trace elements
children
schools
iron
micronutrients
poverty
Chong, Alberto
Cohen, Isabelle
Field, Erica
Nakasone, Eduardo
Torero, Máximo
Iron deficiency and schooling attainment in Peru
title Iron deficiency and schooling attainment in Peru
title_full Iron deficiency and schooling attainment in Peru
title_fullStr Iron deficiency and schooling attainment in Peru
title_full_unstemmed Iron deficiency and schooling attainment in Peru
title_short Iron deficiency and schooling attainment in Peru
title_sort iron deficiency and schooling attainment in peru
topic anaemia
education
deficiencies
nutrition
trace elements
children
schools
iron
micronutrients
poverty
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/149696
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AT toreromaximo irondeficiencyandschoolingattainmentinperu