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Economic InquiryVolume 50, Issue 1, January 2012, Pages 62-81

The impact of immigration on child health: Experimental evidence from a migration lottery program(Article)

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  • aMotu Economic and Public Policy Research, Level 1, 97 Cuba Street, PO Box 24390, Wellington, New Zealand
  • bDepartment of Economics, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand
  • cDevelopment Research Group, The World Bank, 1818 H Street NW, Washington DC 20433, United States

Abstract

This paper uses a unique survey designed by the authors to compare migrant children who enter New Zealand through a random ballot with children in the home country of Tonga whose families were unsuccessful participants in the same ballots. We find that migration increases height and reduces stunting of infants and toddlers, but also increases BMI and obesity among 3- to 5-yr-olds. These impacts are quite large even though the average migrant household has been in New Zealand for less than 1 yr. Additional results suggest that these impacts occur because of dietary change rather than direct income effects. © 2010 Western Economic Association International.

Indexed keywords

EMTREE medical terms:articlebody heightbody massbody weightchildchild behaviorchild developmentchild health carechild welfaredieteconomicsethnologyhistoryhumanlegal aspectmigrationNew Zealandobesityphysiologypreschool childpsychological aspect
MeSH:Body HeightBody Mass IndexBody WeightChildChild BehaviorChild DevelopmentChild Health ServicesChild WelfareChild, PreschoolDietEmigration and ImmigrationHistory, 20th CenturyHistory, 21st CenturyHumansNew ZealandObesity
  • ISSN: 00952583
  • Source Type: Journal
  • Original language: English
  • DOI: 10.1111/j.1465-7295.2009.00284.x
  • PubMed ID: 22329049
  • Document Type: Article

  Stillman, S.; Motu Economic and Public Policy Research, Level 1, 97 Cuba Street, PO Box 24390, New Zealand;
© Copyright 2012 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved. © MEDLINE® is the source for the MeSH terms of this document.

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