Cash transfer program and child underweight—Empirical evidence from a causal mediation analysis
利用台湾儿童赞助计划的个体面板数据，通过因果中介分析发现退出该计划会负面影响儿童体重不足的改善，且每天吃早餐和从父母处获得零用钱是两条重要中介路径。
Abstract Despite the existence of a voluminous literature on cash transfer programs, little is known about their impacts on the underweight of children. To fill the knowledge gap, this study uses a unique individual panel data set to analyze how participation in the Children Sponsorship Program (CSP) improves underweight status among needy children and adolescents in Taiwan. This study examines not only the program effect on children's underweight, but also underscores the potential pathways behind the program effect by employing a causal mediation analysis. Our analysis finds that exiting the CSP has a negative impact on the improvement of underweight status. Moreover, eating breakfast every day and receiving pocket money from parents can be two significant mediators that link the effect of exiting the CSP and the change in underweight status among children and adolescents.