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The rise and fall of SES gradients in heights around the world

Author

Listed:
  • Aurino, Elisabetta
  • Lleras-Muney, Adriana
  • Tarozzi, Alessandro
  • Tinoco, Brendan

Abstract

We use data from a large sample of low- and middle-income countries to study the association (or “gradient”) between child height and maternal education. We show that the gap in height between high- and low-SES children is small at birth, rises throughout childhood, and declines in adolescence as girls and boys go through puberty. This inverted U-shaped pattern is consistent with a degree of catch-up in linear height among children of low- relative to high-SES families, in partial contrast to the argument that height deficits cannot be overcome after the early years of life. This finding appears to be explained by the association between SES and the timing of puberty and therefore of the adolescent growth spurt: low-SES children start their adolescent growth spurt later and stop growing at later ages as well.

Suggested Citation

  • Aurino, Elisabetta & Lleras-Muney, Adriana & Tarozzi, Alessandro & Tinoco, Brendan, 2023. "The rise and fall of SES gradients in heights around the world," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:91:y:2023:i:c:s0167629623000747
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2023.102797
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Height; Socio-economic status; Maternal schooling; Catch-up; Low- and middle-income countries;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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