The persistent effects of school meals on multidimensional human capital: evidence from rural China

Jingru Ren and Yanran Zhou

Journal of Development Effectiveness, 2025, vol. 17, issue 3, 397-415

Abstract: This study examines the persistent human capital effects of China’s Nutrition Improvement Program (NIP) by leveraging its staggered county-level rollout and a difference-in-differences (DID) approach. The results show that early-life exposure to the NIP has beneficial effects on educational attainment and cognitive and non-cognitive skills in adulthood. The programme also has sustained effects on improving emotional well-being and reducing engagement in risky health behaviours. Furthermore, the human capital benefits of the NIP are more pronounced among children from lower socioeconomic status households. This study provides evidence that school meals contribute to long-term human development beyond mere nutritional supplementation.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/19439342.2025.2528833

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