Effect of birth interval on the first child’s nutrition status: Evidence from China

Xinwei Dong

Labour Economics, 2020, vol. 67, issue C

Abstract: This study investigates the effect of the birth interval between the first and second siblings on the nutrition status of the first child. To estimate the causal effect, I exploit an exogenous source of variation in the birth interval led by a Chinese regulation that forced a long interval as a curb on fertility. It is shown that an increase in the birth interval leads to an improvement in the first childs height-for-age score and a decrease in the probability of the first child suffering a stunt in growth. Quantile regression results indicate a larger effect in the lower end of the height distribution. Heterogeneity analysis suggests that girls, especially those with younger brothers, benefit more from long birth intervals, implying that resource dilution is a key mechanism producing this heterogeneity in the estimated effects.

Keywords: Birth interval; Family planning; Nutrition status (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D13 J13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:labeco:v:67:y:2020:i:c:s0927537120301135

DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2020.101909

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