Food Price Shocks in Childhood Linked to Lifelong Health Risks in New Study
A 1990s financial crisis in Indonesia left a hidden legacy: children exposed to food price shocks grew up shorter and more prone to obesity, decades later.
A 1997-2000 Asian financial crisis study linked rice price shocks in Indonesia to a 3.5 percentage point increase in child stunting.
Children exposed to the crisis between ages 3-5 showed higher obesity rates by ages 17-23. Urban areas and low-education households were disproportionately affected due to reliance on purchased food.
Elza S. Elmira said:
"The crisis-induced price rise increased chronic malnutrition and was associated with a 3.5 percentage point increase in child stunting."
Matin Qaim said:
"Deprivation in early childhood can have lifelong effects... mental development impairments and an increased risk of obesity and chronic diseases."
The study used Indonesia's Family Life Survey data (1997-2014), correlating regional rice price inflation with long-term health outcomes. Researchers caution the study shows correlation, not causation, and cannot rule out all confounding factors.
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