The life cycle of malnutrition: IFPRI 1999-2000 Annual Report Essay

This year some 30 million babies in the developing world—around 82,000 every day—will be born with impaired growth due to poor nutrition during fetal life. term. The authors examine each stage of the life cycle, from birth and infancy to childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. In developing countries the main direct causes of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) are nutritional. IUGR infants are more likely to become stunted children. Data on the nutritional status of school-age children are increasingly being collected, as evidence mounts linking malnutrition or hunger with poor school attendance, performance, and learning. The economic livelihood of populations depends on the health and nutritional well-being of adults. Recent multicountry studies have shown significant malnutrition among older adults. Vicious circles—such as the life cycle of malnutrition—based as they are on mutually reinforcing processes, can be transformed into virtuous circles by more consistently and effectively applying our growing knowledge of what works, and where, in combating malnutrition. While preventing fetal and early childhood malnutrition deserves particular attention, the life cycle dynamics of cause and consequence demand a holistic, inclusive approach to malnutrition. Adequate nutrition is a human right for all people, and intervening at each point in the life cycle will accelerate and consolidate positive change.Malnutrition Prevention., Nutrition Research.,

Impact evaluation of a conditional cash transfer program: the Nicaraguan Red de Protección Social

"In 2000, the Nicaraguan government implemented a conditional cash transfer program designed to improve the nutritional, health, and educational status of poor households, and thereby to reduce short- and long-term poverty. Based on the Mexican government's successful PROGRESA program, Nicaragua's Red de Protección Social (RPS) sought to supplement household income, reduce primary school dropout rates, and increase the health care and nutritional status of children under the age of five. This report represents IFPRI's evaluation of phase I of RPS. It shows that the program was effective in low-income areas and particularly effective when addressing health care and education needs. The report offers the first extensive assessment of a Nicaraguan government antipoverty program." Authors' AbstractRed de Protección Social (Nicaragua) Evaluation, Economic assistance, Domestic Nicaragua Evaluation, Public welfare Nicaragua, Child welfare Nicaragua, Poverty Nicaragua,

Impact evaluation of a conditional cash transfer program

"This paper presents the main findings of a quantitative evaluation of the Red de Protección Social (RPS), a conditional cash transfer program in Nicaragua, against its primary objectives. These included supplementing income to increase household expenditures on food, reducing primary school desertion, and improving the health care and nutritional status of children under age 5. The evaluation design is based on a randomized, community-based intervention with measurements before and after the intervention in both treatment and control communities. Where possible, we erred on the side of assessing effects in conservative manners, for example, in the calculation of standard errors and the treatment of possible control group contamination. Overall, we find that RPS had positive (or favorable) and significant double-difference estimated average effects on a broad range of indicators and outcomes. Where it did not, it was often due to similar, smaller improvements in the control group that appear to have been stimulated indirectly by the program. Most of the estimated effects were larger for the extreme poor. The findings presented here played an important role in the decision to continue this effective program." Authors' AbstractImpact evaluation ,Transfer payments ,Human capital ,Impact assessment ,

Impact evaluation of a conditional cash transfer program

"This paper presents the main findings of a quantitative evaluation of the Red de Protección Social (RPS), a conditional cash transfer program in Nicaragua, against its primary objectives. These included supplementing income to increase household expenditures on food, reducing primary school desertion, and improving the health care and nutritional status of children under age 5. The evaluation design is based on a randomized, community-based intervention with measurements before and after the intervention in both treatment and control communities. Where possible, we erred on the side of assessing effects in conservative manners, for example, in the calculation of standard errors and the treatment of possible control group contamination. Overall, we find that RPS had positive (or favorable) and significant double-difference estimated average effects on a broad range of indicators and outcomes. Where it did not, it was often due to similar, smaller improvements in the control group that appear to have been stimulated indirectly by the program. Most of the estimated effects were larger for the extreme poor. The findings presented here played an important role in the decision to continue this effective program." Authors' AbstractImpact evaluation ,Transfer payments ,Human capital ,Impact assessment ,

STRATEGIC EFFECTS OF INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE ALLIANCES

The present paper develops a simple model of a network structure to analyze the profitability and the strategic effects of airline alliances in which two complementary alliances, following different paths, may be formed to serve a certain city-pair market. We examine whether airlines that employ the same hub have an incentive to create an alliance, analyze the effects on carriers outside the alliance and study how fares are affected. We conclude that complementary alliances are profitable for a sufficient degree of product differentiation, which implies that competition intensity is low; that an alliance hurts the outsiders; and that fares will decrease. These findings remain valid to the introduction of more competition in the form of a direct non-stop flight. Our results provide a very simple testable implication that relies on demand parameters that measure the degree of product differentiation, and our findings are consistent with some of the observed facts in the industry.complementary airline alliances, substitute trips, product differentiation

STRATEGIC EFFECTS OF AIRLINE ALLIANCES

This paper looks at the endogenous formation of airline alliances bymeans of a two-stage game where first airlines decide whether to form analliance and then fares are determined. We analyze the profitability and thestrategic effects of airline alliances when two complementary alliances,following different paths, may be formed to serve a certain city-pair market.The formation of a complementary alliance is shown to hurt outsiders and thatfares decrease in the interline market. Contrary to what might be expected, wefind that complementary alliances are not always profitable, even in thepresence of economies of traffic density. The interplay between market size, thedegree of product differentiation and the intensity of economies of trafficdensity determines whether the market equilibrium entails no alliances, a singlealliance or a double alliance.complementary airline alliances, economies of traffic density, product differentiation

Quesada. J.: Sinfonía para un nuevo siglo.

Sin resume

Health and nutrition: emerging and reemerging issues in developing countries

CONTENTS: Brief 1. Overview / Rafael Flores Brief 2. The Global Burden of Disease / Alan D. Lopez Brief 3. HIV/AIDS / Anthony Barnett and Gabriel Rugalema Brief 4. Malaria / Andrea Egan Brief 5. Tuberculosis / Ariel Pablos-Mendez Brief 6. Intrauterine Growth Retardation / Mercedes de Onis Brief 7. Obesity / Reynaldo Martorell Brief 8. Diet-Related Chronic Diseases / Geoffrey Cannon Brief 9. Health and Aging / Noel W. Solomons Brief 10. Micronutrients / Lindsay H. Allen Brief 11. Policy Priorities: Themes and Actions / Stuart GillespieDeveloping countries., Health., Nutrition., Health planning., Human Nutrition., Diseases.,