Causes and Consequences of Early Life Health

Anne Case and Christina Paxson

No 15637, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: We examine the consequences of childhood health for economic and health outcomes in adulthood, using height as a marker of health in childhood. After reviewing previous evidence, we present a conceptual framework that highlights data limitations and methodological problems associated with the study of this topic. We present estimates of the associations between height and a range of outcomes, including schooling, employment, earnings, health and cognitive ability, using data collected from early to late adulthood on cohort members in five longitudinal data sets. We find height is uniformly associated with better economic, health and cognitive outcomes - a result only partially explained by the higher average educational attainment of taller individuals. We then turn to the NLSY79 Children and Young Adult Survey to better understand what specific aspects of early childhood are captured by height. We find, even among maternal siblings, taller siblings score better on cognitive tests and progress through school more quickly. Part of the differences found between siblings arises from differences in their birth weights and lengths attributable to mother's behaviors while pregnant. Taken together, these results support the hypothesis that childhood health influences health and economic status throughout the life course.

JEL-codes: D1 I12 J13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010-01
Note: AG CH PE
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (157)

Published as Anne Case & Christina Paxson, 2010. "Causes and consequences of early-life health," Demography, Springer, vol. 47(1), pages S65-S85, March.

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Related works:
Working Paper: Causes and Consequences of Early-Life Health (2011)
Journal Article: Causes and consequences of early-life health (2010)
Working Paper: Causes and Consequences of Early Life Health (2010)
Working Paper: Causes and Consequences of Early Life Health (2010)
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