Improving nutrition and health
The program helped reduce the incidence
of low height for age among children one to
three years old. (Before the program stunt-
ing was very high, at 44 percent.) Annual
mean growth in height was 16 percent for
c
hildren covered by the program. On aver-
age, height increased by 1–4 percent, and
we
ight by 3.5 percent. These gains were
achieved despite evidence that some house-
holds did not regularly receive nutrition
supplements and that supplements were
often “shared” with older children. Part of
the effect can be attributed to spending
more on food and to consuming more
nu
tr
itious food, as recommended by the
nu
tr
ition information sessions. There were
also positive spillover effects for nonbenefi-
ciaries in the same community.
The program substantially increased
preventive health care visits. Visits by preg-
nant women in their first trimester rose 8
percent, keeping babies and mothers
healthier. Illnesses dropped 25 percent
among newborns and 20 percent among
c
hildren under five (figure 2). The preva-
lence of anemia in children two to four
y
ears old declined 19 percent. Adult health
improved too.