Malnourished children : an economic approach to the causes and consequences in rural Thailand

Using data on preschool and school children obtained from a village-level survey in Northeastern Thailand, the study finds a familiar pattern: low income, high fertility, low nutrient intake, and poor nutritional status and health. One unexpected finding, however - that a mother"s formal employment is detrimental to child nutrition - has important policy implications regarding job creation and income generation. Malnutrition and high fertility are also shown to have adverse effects on the mental ability of school-age children. Further, by controlling for environmental factors, the study offers some evidence that malnutrition has a direct and independent link to poor mental ability. (Author abstract, modified.)