The Height Production Function from Birth to Age Two

Infancy is one of the most critical periods for the formation of adult height. This paper studies the determinants of height from birth to age 2 using rich longitudinal data on Filipino children. A height production function is specified in which height is the result of the accumulation of inputs (i.e., nutrition and diseases) over time. The empirical specification allows the causal identification of the age-specific effects of both nutrition and diseases on height. Considering gender differences in growth patterns, the results show that diseases play a major role in reducing height and that girls are more strongly affected than boys.