Iron deficiency and schooling attainment in Peru

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dc.creatorChong, Alberto
dc.creatorCohen, Isabelle
dc.creatorField, Erica
dc.creatorNakasone, Eduardo
dc.creatorTorero, Máximo
dc.date2015-12-14
dc.date2024-08-01T02:49:46Z
dc.date2024-08-01T02:49:46Z
dc.date.accessioned2026-06-27T15:35:42Z
dc.descriptionA key question in development economics is whether nutritional deficiencies generate intergenerational poverty traps by reducing the earnings potential of children born into poverty. To assess the causal influence on human capital of one of the most widespread micronutrient deficiencies, supplemental iron pills were made available at a local health center in rural Peru and adolescents were encouraged to take them up via classroom media messages. Results from school administrative records provide novel evidence that reducing iron deficiency results almost immediately in a large and significant improvement in school performance. For anemic students, an average of 10 100mg iron pills over three months improves average test scores by 0.4 standard deviations and increases the likelihood of grade progression by 11%. Supplementation also raises anemic students’ aspirations for the future. Both results indicate that cognitive deficits from iron-deficiency anemia contribute to a nutrition-based poverty trap. Our findings also demonstrate that, with low-cost outreach efforts in schools, supplementation programs offered through a public clinic can be both affordable and effective in reducing rates of adolescent IDA. Chong, Alberto; Cohen, Isabelle; Field, Erica; Nakasone, Eduardo; Torero, Maximo
dc.identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/149696
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/108878
dc.languageen
dc.publisherInternational Association of Agricultural Economists
dc.relationhttps://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/id/eprint/61301
dc.relationhttps://doi.org/10.1257/app.20140494
dc.rightsOpen Access
dc.sourceChong, Alberto; Cohen, Isabelle; Field, Erica; Nakasone, Eduardo; Torero, Maximo. 2015. Iron deficiency and schooling attainment in Peru. Presented at International Association of Agricultural Economists. 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy. https://purl.umn.edu/212629
dc.subjectanaemia
dc.subjecteducation
dc.subjectdeficiencies
dc.subjectnutrition
dc.subjecttrace elements
dc.subjectchildren
dc.subjectschools
dc.subjectiron
dc.subjectmicronutrients
dc.subjectpoverty
dc.titleIron deficiency and schooling attainment in Peru
dc.typeConference Paper

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Instituto Internacional de Investigación sobre Políticas Alimentarias (IFPRI)