34346
document
Effect of a nutrition intervention during early childhood on economic productivity in Guatemalan adults . BACKGROUND Substantial , but indirect , evidence suggests that improving nutrition in early childhood in developing countries is a long-term economic investment . We investigated the direct effect of a nutrition intervention in early childhood on adult economic productivity . METHODS We obtained economic data from 1424 Guatemalan individuals ( aged 25-42 years ) between 2002 and 2004 . They accounted for 60 % of the 2392 children ( aged 0-7 years ) who had been enrolled in a nutrition intervention study during 1969-77 . In this initial study , two villages were randomly assigned a nutritious supplement ( atole ) for all children and two villages a less nutritious one ( fresco ) . We estimated annual income , hours worked , and average hourly wages from all economic activities . We used linear regression models , adjusting for potentially confounding factors , to assess the relation between economic variables and exposure to atole or fresco at specific ages between birth and 7 years . FINDINGS Exposure to atole before , but not after , age 3 years was associated with higher hourly wages , but only for men . For exposure to atole from 0 to 2 years , the increase was US $ 0.67 per hour ( 95 % CI 0.16-1.17 ) , which meant a 46 % increase in average wages . There was a non-significant tendency for hours worked to be reduced and for annual incomes to be greater for those exposed to atole from 0 to 2 years . INTERPRETATION Improving nutrition in early childhood led to substantial increases in wage rates for men , which suggests that investments in early childhood nutrition can be long-term drivers of economic growth .
34347
Intervention_Physical
nutrition intervention
34348
Intervention_Physical
nutrition intervention
34349
Intervention_Pharmacological
nutrition intervention
34350
Intervention_Pharmacological
nutritious supplement ( atole ) for all children
34351
Intervention_Pharmacological
two villages a less nutritious one ( fresco )
34352
Intervention_Pharmacological
atole
34353
Intervention_Pharmacological
fresco
34354
Intervention_Pharmacological
atole
34355
Intervention_Pharmacological
atole
34356
Outcome_Other
economic productivity
34357
Outcome_Other
hourly wages
34358
Outcome_Other
tendency for hours worked
34359
Outcome_Other
annual incomes
34360
Outcome_Other
substantial increases in wage rates
34361
Participant_Condition
Guatemalan adults .
34362
Participant_Condition
1424 Guatemalan individuals ( aged 25-42 years ) between 2002 and 2004 .
34363
Participant_Condition
accounted for 60 % of the 2392 children ( aged 0-7 years ) who had been enrolled in a nutrition intervention study during 1969-77 .