[go: up one dir, main page]
IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v159y2024ics0190740924000914.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

School nutritious feeding and cognitive abilities of students in poverty: Evidence from the nutrition improvement program in China

Author

Listed:
  • Zhao, Chunkai
  • Chen, Boou
  • Song, Zhiyong
Abstract
While considerable attention has been paid to the benefits of school nutritious feeding, little literature focused on the effect on human capital accumulation for students in poverty. By drawing on the quasi-natural experiment of the Nutrition Improvement Program (NIP) and adopting the Difference-in-Differences (DID) method, we sought to determine the causal relationship between school nutritious feeding and the cognitive ability (CA) development among poor students in China. Specifically, our estimates confirmed that NIP implementations significantly improved the CAs of students in poverty, which is supported by several robustness checks. Moreover, the potential mechanisms of this positive effect included improved health status, enhanced sense of belonging at school, and increased positive expectations for the future. Our study further enriches the literature on the positive effects of school nutritious feeding and provides insights for developing countries to customize nutritional poverty alleviation programs to promote human capital development.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhao, Chunkai & Chen, Boou & Song, Zhiyong, 2024. "School nutritious feeding and cognitive abilities of students in poverty: Evidence from the nutrition improvement program in China," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:159:y:2024:i:c:s0190740924000914
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107519
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740924000914
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107519?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jingru Ren & Xiaodong Zheng & Rodney Smith & Xiangming Fang, 2023. "School feeding program and urban–rural inequality of child health: Evidence from China," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(S1), pages 1399-1416, December.
    2. John S. Akin & David K. Guilkey & Barry M. Popkin, 1983. "The School Lunch Program and Nutrient Intake: A Switching Regression Analysis," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 65(3), pages 477-485.
    3. Clément de Chaisemartin & Xavier D'Haultfœuille, 2020. "Two-Way Fixed Effects Estimators with Heterogeneous Treatment Effects," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 110(9), pages 2964-2996, September.
    4. Zhou, Yunbo & Huang, Xingzi & Shen, Yangyang & Tian, Liu, 2023. "Does targeted poverty alleviation policy lead to happy life? Evidence from rural China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    5. Jingxi Wang & Lei Zhou & Shurong Yao, 2022. "The Impact of the Nutrition Improvement Program on Children’s Health in Rural Areas: Evidence from China," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(1), pages 267-289, January.
    6. Gundersen, Craig & Kreider, Brent & Pepper, John, 2012. "The impact of the National School Lunch Program on child health: A nonparametric bounds analysis," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 166(1), pages 79-91.
    7. Liu, Xinghua & Chen, Kevin & Liu, Chengfang & Wang, Zimeiyi & Luo, Renfu, 2021. "Nutrition, Cognition and Social Emotion Among Preschoolers in Poor, Rural Areas of South Central China: Status and Correlates," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315866, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    8. Thomas Dohmen & Armin Falk & David Huffman & Uwe Sunde, 2018. "On the Relationship between Cognitive Ability and Risk Preference," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 32(2), pages 115-134, Spring.
    9. Valdivia, Martin, 2004. "Poverty, health infrastructure and the nutrition of Peruvian children," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 2(3), pages 489-510, December.
    10. Wang, Jingxi & Hernandez, Manuel A. & Deng, Guoying, 2023. "Large-scale school meal programs and student health: Evidence from rural China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    11. Anderson, Michael L. & Gallagher, Justin & Ramirez Ritchie, Elizabeth, 2018. "School meal quality and academic performance," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 81-93.
    12. Daniel L. Millimet & Rusty Tchernis & Muna Husain, 2010. "School Nutrition Programs and the Incidence of Childhood Obesity," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 45(3).
    13. Scott A. Imberman & Adriana D. Kugler, 2014. "The Effect of Providing Breakfast in Class on Student Performance," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(3), pages 669-699, June.
    14. Martin Ravallion & Shaohua Chen, 2011. "Weakly Relative Poverty," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 93(4), pages 1251-1261, November.
    15. Afridi, Farzana, 2010. "Child welfare programs and child nutrition: Evidence from a mandated school meal program in India," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(2), pages 152-165, July.
    16. Chunkai Zhao & Jianhao Guo, 2022. "Are Veterans Happy? Long-term Military Service and the Life Satisfaction of Elderly Individuals in China," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 477-508, February.
    17. Li, Yunsen & Yang, Haoran & Luo, Liang, 2021. "Poverty exposure and cognitive abilities of children in rural China: Causation and the roles of family investments," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    18. James J. Heckman & Jora Stixrud & Sergio Urzua, 2006. "The Effects of Cognitive and Noncognitive Abilities on Labor Market Outcomes and Social Behavior," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 24(3), pages 411-482, July.
    19. Peter Hinrichs, 2010. "The effects of the National School Lunch Program on education and health," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(3), pages 479-505.
    20. Foster, James E, 1998. "Absolute versus Relative Poverty," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 88(2), pages 335-341, May.
    21. Frisvold, David E., 2015. "Nutrition and cognitive achievement: An evaluation of the School Breakfast Program," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 91-104.
    22. Hanjie Wang & Qiran Zhao & Yunli Bai & Linxiu Zhang & Xiaohua Yu, 2020. "Poverty and Subjective Poverty in Rural China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 150(1), pages 219-242, July.
    23. Joo, Myungkook, 2011. "Effects of federal programs on children: Absolute poverty, relative poverty, and income inequality," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(7), pages 1203-1211, July.
    24. Chakraborty, Tanika & Jayaraman, Rajshri, 2019. "School feeding and learning achievement: Evidence from India's midday meal program," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 249-265.
    25. Petter Lundborg & Dan-Olof Rooth & Jesper Alex-Petersen, 2022. "Long-Term Effects of Childhood Nutrition: Evidence from a School Lunch Reform," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 89(2), pages 876-908.
    26. Mostert, Cyprian M., 2021. "The impact of the school feeding programme on the education and health outcomes of South African children," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    27. Philip M. Gleason & Carol W. Suitor, 2003. "Eating at School: How the National School Lunch Program Affects Children's Diets," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 85(4), pages 1047-1061.
    28. Huifu Nong & Qing Zhang & Hongjia Zhu & Rong Zhu, 2022. "Targeted Poverty Alleviation and Children’s Academic Performance in China," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 68(4), pages 951-969, December.
    29. Wang, Haining & Cheng, Zhiming, 2022. "Kids eat free: School feeding and family spending on education," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 196-212.
    30. Qiu, Hui & Liang, Xiao, 2024. "Segmented assimilation of migrant children in urban public schools of China: Impact of family resources and school segregation on their educational aspirations," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    31. Renfu Luo & Yaojiang Shi & Linxiu Zhang & Chengfang Liu & Scott Rozelle & Brian Sharbono & Ai Yue & Qiran Zhao & Reynaldo Martorell, 2012. "Nutrition and Educational Performance in Rural China's Elementary Schools: Results of a Randomized Control Trial in Shaanxi Province," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 60(4), pages 735-772.
    32. Xiaodong Zheng & Jingru Ren & Dian Chen & Xiangming Fang, 2023. "School feeding and children’s noncognitive skills: Evidence from the Nutrition Improvement Program in rural China," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(55), pages 6459-6478, November.
    33. Turney, Kristin & Testa, Alexander & Jackson, Dylan B., 2023. "Anticipated unmet educational expectations following youth police contact," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    34. Jie Gong & Yi Lu & Hong Song, 2018. "The Effect of Teacher Gender on Students’ Academic and Noncognitive Outcomes," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 36(3), pages 743-778.
    35. Sharon K. Long, 1991. "Do the School Nutrition Programs Supplement Household Food Expenditures?," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 26(4), pages 654-678.
    36. Yi Lu & Jin Wang & Lianming Zhu, 2019. "Place-Based Policies, Creation, and Agglomeration Economies: Evidence from China's Economic Zone Program," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 11(3), pages 325-360, August.
    37. Pierce, Barbara J. & Muzzey, Finneran K. & Bloomquist, Kori R. & Imburgia, Teresa M., 2022. "Effectiveness of Family Centered Treatment on reunification and days in care: Propensity score matched sample from Indiana child welfare data," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    38. Brady, David & Bostic, Amie, 2015. "Paradoxes of Social Policy: Welfare Transfers, Relative Poverty, and Redistribution Preferences," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 80(2), pages 268-298.
    39. Zhao, Chunkai & Wu, Yaqian & Guo, Jianhao, 2022. "Mobile payment and Chinese rural household consumption," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    40. Tani, Massimiliano & Xu, Lei & Zhu, Yu, 2021. "The impact of an un(der)funded inclusive education policy: Evidence from the 2013 China education panel survey," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 768-784.
    41. Li, Pei & Lu, Yi & Wang, Jin, 2016. "Does flattening government improve economic performance? Evidence from China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 18-37.
    42. Zhao, Chunkai & Chen, Boou, 2023. "ICT in education can improve students’ achievements in rural China: The role of parents, educators and authorities," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 320-344.
    43. Nora E. Gordon & Krista J. Ruffini, 2018. "School Nutrition and Student Discipline: Effects of Schoolwide Free Meals," NBER Working Papers 24986, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    44. Zhou, Lei & Jiang, Bo & Wang, Jingxi, 2020. "Do cash transfers have impacts on student Academic, cognitive, and enrollment outcomes? Evidence from rural China," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Fang, Guanfu & Zhu, Ying, 2022. "Long-term impacts of school nutrition: Evidence from China’s school meal reform," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    2. Marcus, Michelle & Yewell, Katherine G., 2022. "The Effect of Free School Meals on Household Food Purchases: Evidence from the Community Eligibility Provision," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    3. Bütikofer, Aline & Mølland, Eirin & Salvanes, Kjell G., 2018. "Childhood nutrition and labor market outcomes: Evidence from a school breakfast program," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 62-80.
    4. Xueyi Duan & Yinhe Liang & Xiaobo Peng, 2024. "Free school meals and cognitive ability: Evidence from China's student nutrition improvement plan," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(7), pages 1480-1502, July.
    5. Zhou, Yanran & Ren, Jingru & Zheng, Xiaodong, 2024. "Feeding for a brighter future: The long-term labor market consequences of school meals in rural China," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    6. Jingru Ren & Xiaodong Zheng & Rodney Smith & Xiangming Fang, 2023. "School feeding program and urban–rural inequality of child health: Evidence from China," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(S1), pages 1399-1416, December.
    7. Davis, Will & Kreisman, Daniel & Musaddiq, Tareena, 2023. "The Effect of Universal Free School Meals on Child BMI," IZA Discussion Papers 16387, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Abouk, Rahi & Adams, Scott, 2022. "Breakfast After the Bell: The Effects of Expanding Access to School Breakfasts on the Weight and Achievement of Elementary School Children," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    9. Amy Ellen Schwartz & Michah W. Rothbart, 2020. "Let Them Eat Lunch: The Impact of Universal Free Meals on Student Performance," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(2), pages 376-410, March.
    10. Xhiselda Demaj, 2024. "Expanding Benefits: The Impact of a Universal Free School Meal Policy on Non-Cognitive Skills," Working Papers 2024: 11, Department of Economics, University of Venice "Ca' Foscari".
    11. Wang, Haining & Cheng, Zhiming, 2022. "Kids eat free: School feeding and family spending on education," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 196-212.
    12. Sofía Collante Zárate & Catherine Rodríguez & Fabio Sanchez, 2022. "El poder de un refrigerio. La alimentación escolar y sus efectos educativos en Colombia," Documentos CEDE 20223, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    13. Bonomo, Therese & Schanzenbach, Diane Whitmore, 2024. "Trends in the school lunch program: Changes in selection, nutrition & health," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    14. Petter Lundborg & Dan-Olof Rooth & Jesper Alex-Petersen, 2022. "Long-Term Effects of Childhood Nutrition: Evidence from a School Lunch Reform," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 89(2), pages 876-908.
    15. Agustina Laurito & Amy Ellen Schwartz, 2019. "Does School Lunch Fill the “SNAP Gap” at the End of the Month?," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 86(1), pages 49-82, July.
    16. Manan Roy & Daniel Millimet & Rusty Tchernis, 2012. "Federal nutrition programs and childhood obesity: inside the black box," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 10(1), pages 1-38, March.
    17. Peckham, Janet G. & Kropp, Jaclyn D., 2012. "Are National School Lunch Program Participants More Likely to be Obese? Dealing with Identification," 2012 Annual Meeting, August 12-14, 2012, Seattle, Washington 124905, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    18. Kurtz, Michael D. & Conway, Karen Smith & Mohr, Robert D., 2020. "Weekend feeding (“BackPack”) programs and student outcomes," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    19. Frisvold, David E., 2015. "Nutrition and cognitive achievement: An evaluation of the School Breakfast Program," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 91-104.
    20. Valizadeh, Pourya & Ng, Shu Wen, 2020. "The New school food standards and nutrition of school children: Direct and Indirect Effect Analysis," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:159:y:2024:i:c:s0190740924000914. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.