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Early education and health outcomes of a 2001 U.S. Birth Cohort

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  • Belfield, Clive R.
  • Kelly, Inas Rashad

Abstract

This paper looks at health outcomes, health behaviors, and health screening with respect to participation in Early Childhood Care and Education. With information on health status at multiple periods in time, we are able to look at whether healthier children select into early childhood education (as measured by center-based preschool care and Head Start), as well as whether early childhood education has immediate and near-term effects on a range of health status measures. There is some evidence that child obesity is ameliorated by participation in center-based preschool or Head Start and this finding is supported by clear evidence of improved nutrition and increased levels of health screening. Effects on other health outcomes such as asthma, ear infections, and respiratory problems may be partially masked by unobserved heterogeneity.

Suggested Citation

  • Belfield, Clive R. & Kelly, Inas Rashad, 2013. "Early education and health outcomes of a 2001 U.S. Birth Cohort," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 310-325.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:ehbiol:v:11:y:2013:i:3:p:310-325
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2012.05.001
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    3. Anderson, Patricia M. & Butcher, Kristin F. & Schanzenbach, Diane Whitmore, 2019. "Understanding recent trends in childhood obesity in the United States," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 16-25.
    4. Kim, Young-Joo, 2016. "The long-run effect of education on obesity in the US," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 100-109.
    5. Ignacio Tavares De Araujo Junior & Alessio Tony De Cavalcanti De Almeida, 2016. "Government Spending On Early Childhood In Brazil: Equity And Efficiency Challenges," Anais do XLIII Encontro Nacional de Economia [Proceedings of the 43rd Brazilian Economics Meeting] 066, ANPEC - Associação Nacional dos Centros de Pós-Graduação em Economia [Brazilian Association of Graduate Programs in Economics].
    6. Rahman, Mohammad Mahbubur & Pallikadavath, Saseendran, 2018. "How much do conditional cash transfers increase the utilization of maternal and child health care services? New evidence from Janani Suraksha Yojana in India," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 164-183.
    7. Abu Dalou, Ahmad Yosuf, 2016. "Height of Northern Jordanian middle-class adults, born 1960–1990 in the response to improving socio-economic conditions," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 155-160.
    8. Salvatore, Ricardo, 2019. "The biological wellbeing of the working-poor: The height of prisoners in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, 1885–1939," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 92-102.
    9. Silvia Costa & Sara E. Benjamin-Neelon & Eleanor Winpenny & Veronica Phillips & Jean Adams, 2019. "Relationship Between Early Childhood Non-Parental Childcare and Diet, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-27, November.
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    11. Mandal, Bidisha & Powell, Lisa M., 2014. "Child care choices, food intake, and children's obesity status in the United States," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 14(C), pages 50-61.
    12. Pasqualini, M. & Lanari, D. & Minelli, L. & Pieroni, L. & Salmasi, L., 2017. "Health and income inequalities in Europe: What is the role of circumstances?," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 164-173.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    ECLS-B; Early childhood education; Child development; USA;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General

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