Improving Child Health and Cognition: Evidence from a School-Based Nutrition Intervention in India
研究在印度农村学校午餐中使用双强化盐对儿童贫血、认知和学习成绩的影响,发现一年干预显著降低贫血率,但未改善认知和考试成绩。
Abstract We present experimental evidence on the impact of the use of double-fortified salt in school meals on anemia, cognition, and the learning outcomes of primary school children in rural Bihar, one of the poorest regions of India. We find that a year-long intervention had statistically significant positive impacts on hemoglobin levels and reduced anemia by 20%; however, these health gains did not translate into significant impacts on cognitive performance, test scores, and school attendance. Treatment effects on anemia and test scores were larger for children with higher school attendance. The findings indicate that school-based health interventions are a cost-effective and scalable approach for reducing anemia among school children in resource-constrained countries.