The impact of the National School Lunch Program on child health: A nonparametric bounds analysis

Craig Gundersen, Brent Kreider () and John Pepper

Journal of Econometrics, 2012, vol. 166, issue 1, 79-91

Abstract: Children in households reporting the receipt of free or reduced-price school meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) are more likely to have negative health outcomes than observationally similar nonparticipants. Assessing causal effects of the program is made difficult, however, by missing counterfactuals and systematic underreporting of program participation. Combining survey data with auxiliary administrative information on the size of the NSLP caseload, we extend nonparametric partial identification methods that account for endogenous selection and nonrandom classification error in a single framework. Similar to a regression discontinuity design, we introduce a new way to conceptualize the monotone instrumental variable (MIV) assumption using eligibility criteria as monotone instruments. Under relatively weak assumptions, we find evidence that the receipt of free and reduced-price lunches improves the health outcomes of children.

Keywords: Partial identification; Selection problem; Classification error; Monotone instrumental variable; Regression discontinuity; National School Lunch Program; Food insecurity; Obesity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C14 C21 I38 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (85)

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Related works:
Working Paper: The impact of the National School Lunch Program on child health: A nonparametric bounds analysis (2012)
Working Paper: The Impact of the National School Lunch Program on Child Health: A Nonparametric Bounds Analysis (2011)
Working Paper: The Impact of the National School Lunch Program on Child Health: A Nonparametric Bounds Analysis (2011)
Working Paper: The Impact of the National School Lunch Program on Child Health: A Nonparametric Bounds Analysis (2009)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:econom:v:166:y:2012:i:1:p:79-91

DOI: 10.1016/j.jeconom.2011.06.007

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