Early Childhood Nutrition, Schooling, and Sibling Inequality in a Dynamic Context: Evidence from South Africa
Publication date
Last version on
Location
http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/publications/fcndp203.pdf
Source / Citation
Yamauchi, Futoshi. 2006. "Early Childhood Nutrition, Schooling, and Sibling Inequality in a Dynamic Context: Evidence from South Africa." Food Consumption and Nutrition Division FCND Discussion Paper 203, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, D.C.
Country
This paper examines the effects of early childhood nutrition on schooling inputs and outcomes to assess the dynamic nature of human capital production, using panel data from South Africa. Height-for-age Z-score is used as a measure of health and nutritional status in early childhood. Based on a comparison of siblings, this analysis concludes that improving children’s health significantly lowers the age when they start school, increases grade attainment, and decreases grade repetition in the early stage of schooling. However, this positive effect diminishes at later stages.