Impact of a Public Program on Children's Nutritional Status in a Low-Income Rural Economy

Anoshua Chaudhuri, University of Washington

This paper analyzes the impact of a maternal and child health program on the nutritional status of children. With the help of a natural experiment from Matlab, Bangladesh, this study investigates the role of the health program, role of mother's education and its interaction with program resources in attaining better health for children. Results indicate that children residing in the treatment area are of higher nutritional status. Mother's education is positively related to children's health. Results show that the treatment improves the long-run health of boys and not of girls compared to boys and girls in the comparison area. Mothers who are less educated are better able to look after their children with the help of the program but there is no gender differential evident here.