Early-life exposure to weather shocks and child height: Evidence from industrializing Japan

Abstract

In this study, we estimate the long-run effects of early-life exposure to weather shocks on the height of primary school children. To estimate the global impacts on almost the entire child population in an industrializing country, we utilize both a unique nationwide multi-dimensional longitudinal dataset of Japanese children aged 6–11 and official monthly statistics on meteorological conditions in the 1920s. We observe that the exposure to cold waves in early-life exerted stunting effects on both the boys and girls. In the coldest regions in the northeastern area of Japan, the stunting effects of cold weather shocks on the boys and girls are estimated to be approximately 0.8 and 0.6 cm, respectively. Our observation indicates that prenatal (postnatal) exposure is important for the boys (girls). Our results suggest that the marginal effects of cold waves are stronger in the warmer regions than in the colder regions.