@article{Chong:212629,
      recid = {212629},
      author = {Chong, Alberto and Cohen, Isabelle and Field, Erica and  Nakasone, Eduardo and Torero, Maximo},
      title = {Iron Deficiency and Schooling Attainment in Peru},
      address = {2015-05-08},
      number = {1008-2016-79872},
      pages = {46},
      month = {May},
      year = {2015},
      abstract = {A key question in development economics is whether  nutritional deficiencies generate intergenerational
poverty  traps by reducing the earnings potential of children born  into poverty.
To assess the causal influence on human  capital of one of the most widespread  micronutrient
deficiencies, supplemental iron pills were  made available at a local health center in rural
Peru and  adolescents were encouraged to take them up via classroom  media messages. Results
from school administrative records  provide novel evidence that reducing iron  deficiency
results almost immediately in a large and  significant improvement in school performance.
For anemic  students, an average of 10 100mg iron pills over three  months improves average
test scores by 0.4 standard  deviations and increases the likelihood of grade  progression by
11%. Supplementation also raises anemic  students’ aspirations for the future. Both results
indicate  that cognitive deficits from iron-deficiency anemia  contribute to a nutrition-based
poverty trap. Our findings  also demonstrate that, with low-cost outreach efforts in  schools,
supplementation programs offered through a public  clinic can be both affordable and effective
in reducing  rates of adolescent IDA.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/212629},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.212629},
}