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First come, first served? Birth order effects on child height in South Africa

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  • Bishwakarma, Rajan
  • Villa, Kira M.

Abstract

We examine the birth order effects on health status for a sample of children aged 1–18 years in South Africa. Using a mother fixed-effects specification, we observe children's height-for-age z-score decreases with birth order. We investigate potential mechanisms underlying the birth order effect including those related to biology, parental preferences, and resource dilution. We also look at whether these effects are due to selection into families of different sizes. We find that the magnitude of the effect is larger in poorer and rural households and in larger families – suggesting that the birth order effect is largely due to resource dilution in economically constrained households.

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  • Bishwakarma, Rajan & Villa, Kira M., 2019. "First come, first served? Birth order effects on child height in South Africa," Journal of Demographic Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 85(1), pages 71-94, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:demeco:v:85:y:2019:i:1:p:71-94_4
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    Cited by:

    1. Mendolia, Silvia & Stavrunova, Olena & Vidal-Fernandez, Marian, 2024. "Birth Order Effects on Education: Insights from Low- And Middle-Income Countries," IZA Discussion Papers 17131, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Zhang, Shumeng & Guo, Naijia & Zhang, Junsen, 2023. "Reexamining the effect of birth order on cognitive and non-cognitive abilities: New evidence from China," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    3. Chandna, Arjita & Bhagowalia, Priya, 2024. "Birth order and children’s health and learning outcomes in India," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).

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