Child care subsidies and childhood obesity |
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Authors: | Chris M Herbst Erdal Tekin |
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Institution: | (1) School of Public Affairs, Arizona State University, Mail Code 3720, 411 N. Central Ave., Ste. 450, Phoenix, AZ 85004-0687, USA;(2) Department of Economics, IZA, and NBER, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 3992, Atlanta, GA 30302-3992, USA |
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Abstract: | In this paper, we study the impact of child care subsidy receipt on low-income children’s weight outcomes in the fall and
spring of kindergarten using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Cohort. Our results suggest that
subsidy receipt is associated with increases in BMI and a greater likelihood of being overweight and obese. Using quantile
regression methods, we find substantial variation in subsidy effects across the BMI distribution. Specifically, child care
subsidies have no effect on BMI at the lower end of the distribution, inconsistent effects in the middle of the distribution,
and large effects at the top of the distribution. Our results point to the use of non-parental child care, particularly center-based
services, as the key mechanism through which subsidies influence children’s weight outcomes. |
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