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The Impact of Positive and Negative Income Changes on the Height and Weight of Young Children

Author

Listed:
  • Buser, Thomas

    (University of Amsterdam)

  • Oosterbeek, Hessel

    (University of Amsterdam)

  • Plug, Erik

    (University of Amsterdam)

  • Ponce, Juan

    (Flacso)

  • Rosero, José

    (INEC Ecuador)

Abstract

We estimate the impact of changes in unearned income on the height and weight of young children in a developing country. As source of variation we use changes in the eligibility criteria for receipt of an unconditional cash transfer in Ecuador. Two years after families lost the transfer, which they had received for seven years, their young children weigh less, and are shorter and more likely to be stunted than young children in families that kept the cash transfer. We find no effect on young children's height and weight two years after gaining the cash transfer. Information on household expenditures suggests that a reduction of food expenditures by households that lost the transfer is the main mechanism behind this finding.

Suggested Citation

  • Buser, Thomas & Oosterbeek, Hessel & Plug, Erik & Ponce, Juan & Rosero, José, 2014. "The Impact of Positive and Negative Income Changes on the Height and Weight of Young Children," IZA Discussion Papers 8130, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp8130
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    Cited by:

    1. Guido Neidhöfer & Miguel Niño‐Zarazúa, 2019. "The Long(er)‐Term Impacts of Chile Solidario on Human Capital and Labor Income," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 45(S1), pages 209-244, December.
    2. Thomas Buser, 2015. "The Effect of Income on Religiousness," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 7(3), pages 178-195, July.
    3. María Gabriela Palacio Ludeña, 2021. "Falling through the Cracks: Digital Infrastructures of Social Protection in Ecuador," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 52(4), pages 805-828, July.
    4. Guido Neidhöfer & Miguel Niño‐Zarazúa, 2019. "The Long(er)‐Term Impacts of Chile Solidario on Human Capital and Labor Income," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 45(S1), pages 209-244, December.
    5. Jara, H. Xavier & Palacio Ludeña, María Gabriela, 2024. "Rethinking social assistance amid the COVID-19 pandemic: guaranteeing the right to income security in Ecuador," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 121120, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    6. Bosch, Mariano & Schady, Norbert, 2019. "The effect of welfare payments on work: Regression discontinuity evidence from Ecuador," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 17-27.
    7. Anne Esser & Charlotte Bilo & Raquel Tebaldi, 2019. "How can cash transfer programmes work for women and children? A review of gender- and child-sensitive design features," Working Papers 178, International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    poverty reduction; developing country; health outcomes; cash transfers;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • H51 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Health
    • C31 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models; Quantile Regressions; Social Interaction Models

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