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Improving Child Health and Cognition: Evidence from a School-Based Nutrition Intervention in India

Author

Listed:
  • Marion Krämer

    (Department of Economics, University of Goettingen, Germany)

  • Santosh Kumar

    (Department of Economics and International Business, Sam Houston State University)

  • Sebastian Vollmer

    (Department of Economics & Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Goettingen, Germany)

Abstract

We present experimental evidence on the impact of delivering double-fortified salt (DFS), salt fortified with iron and iodine, through the Indian school-feeding program called “mid-day meal” on anemia, cognition, and math and reading outcomes of primary school children. We conducted a field experiment that randomly provided a one-year supply of DFS at a subsidized price to public primary schools in one of the poorest regions of India. The DFS treatment had significantly positive impacts on hemoglobin levels and reduced the prevalence of any form of anemia by 20 percent but these health gains did not translate into statistically significant impacts on cognition and test scores. While exploring the heterogeneity in effects, we find that treatment had statistically significant gains in anemia and test scores among children with higher treatment compliance. We further estimate that the intervention was very cost effective and can potentially be scaled up rather easily.

Suggested Citation

  • Marion Krämer & Santosh Kumar & Sebastian Vollmer, 2018. "Improving Child Health and Cognition: Evidence from a School-Based Nutrition Intervention in India," Working Papers 1803, Sam Houston State University, Department of Economics and International Business.
    • Handle: RePEc:shs:wpaper:1803
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    Cited by:

    1. Hornung, Erik & Schwerdt, Guido & Strazzeri, Maurizio, 2023. "Religious practice and student performance: Evidence from Ramadan fasting," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 100-119.
    2. Krämer, Marion & Kumar, Santosh & Vollmer, Sebastian, 2021. "Anemia, diet, and cognitive development: Impact of health information on diet quality and child nutrition in rural India," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 495-523.
    3. Seema Jayachandran, 2023. "Ten Facts about Son Preference in India," Working Papers 2023-12, Princeton University. Economics Department..
    4. Lubina Fatimah Qureshy & Harold Alderman & Navneet Manchanda, 2023. "Benefit-cost analysis of iron fortification of rice in India: modelling potential economic gains from improving haemoglobin and averting anaemia," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(1), pages 91-110, January.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Double-fortified salt; education; anemia; school feeding; India; and randomized controlled trial;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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