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Anemia, diet, and cognitive development: Impact of health information on diet quality and child nutrition in rural India

Author

Listed:
  • Marion Krämer

    (German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval), Bonn, Germany)

  • Santosh Kumar

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

  • Sebastian Vollmer

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

Abstract

Lack of information about health risks may limit adoption of improved nutritional and healthy behavior. This paper studies the effect of nutrition information intervention on household dietary behavior, child health, and cognitive ability of children in rural India. Using experimental data and regression discontinuity design that exploits the exogenous cutoff of hemoglobin level for anemia, we find statistically insignificant treatment effects on dietary improvements, child health, and cognitive outcomes of children. Our findings suggest that nutrition information alone, even when parents are informed about the anemia status of their children, may not promote healthy behavior and factors other than information might constrain households in making nutritional investments for their children.

Suggested Citation

  • Marion Krämer & Santosh Kumar & Sebastian Vollmer, "undated". "Anemia, diet, and cognitive development: Impact of health information on diet quality and child nutrition in rural India," Courant Research Centre: Poverty, Equity and Growth - Discussion Papers 265, Courant Research Centre PEG.
    • Handle: RePEc:got:gotcrc:265
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Health information; Child health; Anemia; Cognition; Regression discontinuity; India;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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