Parental Education and child Nutrition in Indonesia

Abstract

This study uses 1989 Susenas household data to examine the impact of parental education on pre-school children's nutritional status, as measured by weight-for-age Z-scores. Reduced form regressions are estimated separately for boys and girls in rural and urban areas; explanatory variables include mother's and household head's education; per capita household expenditure; and aspects of the household sanitary environment. The analysis controls for influence of unobserved heterogeneity at village level, e.g. differences in prices and medical service provision. The estimates show a significant effect of parental schooling on child health status, varying between urban and rural areas, and by child gender and age. Mothers with secondary education typically have healthier boys than those with less schooling, while this effect is seen for girls only if the mother has more than secondary education. Maternal schooling significantly affects 2–5 year olds' health, but has little direct effect on that of younger children.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Emmanuel Skoufias

I wish to thank the Director and staff of the Badan Pusat Statistik in Jakarta for their support in this project. Jennifer Hetling provided competent research assistance. Helpful comments were given by seminar participants at the Denver–Boulder Labor and Human Resource Economics Workshop, at the Population Program of the University of Colorado at Boulder, and at the Demographic Institute (Lembaga Demografi) of the University of Indonesia.