The Inter-Generational Health Effect of Early Malnutrition: Evidence from the 1983-85 Ethiopian Famine
42 Pages Posted: 24 May 2017
Date Written: November 1, 2016
Abstract
Early malnutrition can have adverse long-term effects, leading to poor health across generations. In this paper, using exposure to the 1983-85 Ethiopian famine as an exogenous shock, I examine the inter-generational health effects of early exposure to famine. Linking the Ethiopian Socioeconomic Survey with the 1984 Ethiopian Census, I show that both in utero and early childhood (age 0-3) exposure to the 1983-85 Ethiopian famine increases the probability of stunting and reduces the height-for-age z score of the next generation. The inter-generational health effects of the famine are severe on the pre-famine and maternal cohort than the famine and paternal cohort. This finding suggests that a policy intervention that aims to reduce childhood malnutrition can have a return that transfer across generations.
Keywords: Famine, Child Health, Inter-generational, Selection, Sex-ratio
JEL Classification: I15, J13, O55
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation