Association of Human Capital with Physical Growth from Birth to Adulthood : Evidence from the New Delhi Birth Cohort, India
Undernutrition begins early in life and has lifelong consequences. The cost of undernutrition both for the individual and the economy are substantial. Analyzing data from an Indian cohort, the New Delhi Birth Cohort, formed between 1969 and 1972, t...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2020
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/212721596523665354/Association-of-Human-Capital-with-Physical-Growth-from-Birth-to-Adulthood-Evidence-from-the-New-Delhi-Birth-Cohort-India http://hdl.handle.net/10986/34362 |
| Summary: | Undernutrition begins early in life and
has lifelong consequences. The cost of undernutrition both
for the individual and the economy are substantial.
Analyzing data from an Indian cohort, the New Delhi Birth
Cohort, formed between 1969 and 1972, this paper provides
evidence on the associations between attained human capital
in the third and fourth decade of life and measures of
growth from birth to adulthood. For the purpose of this
paper, attained human capital is defined through three
metrics: educational status, male occupation, and material
possession score. Growth measures (height, weight, body mass
index (BMI)) during five age intervals (0 to 6 months, 6 to
24 months, 2 to 5 years, 5 to 11 years, and 11 years to
adulthood) were related to human capital metrics using
multivariate regression models. Sensitivity analyses were
also performed to assess the stability of associations. All
three human capital metrics had a significant positive
association with birth size and measures of physical growth
in children under-five years of age, in particular for
children under two years. Length at birth and height gain
from 6 to 24 months were consistently associated with all
metrics. Faster weight and BMI gain from five years onward
significantly predicted material possession scores. Among
socioeconomic and behavioral characteristics at birth,
maternal and paternal education, and paternal occupation
also had a consistent positive association with all three
human capital metrics. The findings reinforce the focus on
interventions during the first 1,000 days of life to promote
larger birth size and linear growth and suggest an
additional window of opportunity between 2 to 5 years to
improve human capital. The benefits can be enhanced by
simultaneous investments in parental (especially maternal)
literacy, livelihoods, safe water supply and sanitation,
access to health care, and enhancing incomes. These
interventions also have a nutrition-sensitive effect to
promote early life growth. |
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