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The Long-Term Effect of Famine Exposure on Cognitive Performance: Evidence from the 1959–1961 Chinese Famine

Author

Listed:
  • Han Zhang

    (Department of Social Work and Social Administration, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China)

  • Wing Chung Ho

    (Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China)

Abstract

We examined the long-term impact of the 1959–1961 Chinese Famine on the survivors’ cognitive performance in this study. Using data from the 2010 China Family Panel Study, our cohort comparison analysis showed that people who experienced the famine in early childhood (aged 1–3) had a lower score on a vocabulary test and that those who were exposed to the famine in utero did not differ from those born after the famine, probably due to positive selection for the in utero survivors. To deal with the problem of the lack of a comparable control group, we further applied a migrant–stayer comparison approach, with data from the 2016 China Family Panel Study and the 2017 Hong Kong Panel Study of Social Dynamics, to examine the effects of famine exposure at different life stages on adult cognition. We compared the people who stayed in Guangdong with the people who crossed the border to Hong Kong before the famine. The results showed that Guangdong stayers who experienced the famine when they were aged 1–18 had worse performance in immediate word recall. The findings suggested that exposure to malnutrition during childhood has long-term adverse effects on cognitive performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Han Zhang & Wing Chung Ho, 2022. "The Long-Term Effect of Famine Exposure on Cognitive Performance: Evidence from the 1959–1961 Chinese Famine," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:24:p:16882-:d:1004852
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    2. Lin, Justin Yifu & Yang, Dennis Tao, 2000. "Food Availability, Entitlements and the Chinese Famine of 1959-61," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 110(460), pages 136-158, January.
    3. Tan, Chih Ming & Tan, Zhibo & Zhang, Xiaobo, 2014. "Sins of the fathers: The intergenerational legacy of the 1959-1961 Great Chinese Famine on children's cognitive development:," IFPRI discussion papers 1351, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    4. Ampaabeng, Samuel K. & Tan, Chih Ming, 2013. "The long-term cognitive consequences of early childhood malnutrition: The case of famine in Ghana," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 1013-1027.
    5. Xu, Hongwei & Li, Lydia & Zhang, Zhenmei & Liu, Jinyu, 2016. "Is natural experiment a cure? Re-examining the long-term health effects of China's 1959–1961 famine," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 110-122.
    6. Zhehui Luo & Ren Mu & Xiaobo Zhang, 2006. "Famine and Overweight in China," Review of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 28(3), pages 296-304.
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