TY - JOUR

T1 - Cognitive consequences of iodine deficiency in adolescence

T2 - Evidence from salt iodization in Denmark

AU - Serena, Benjamin Ly

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Over the past three decades, many countries have introduced iodized salt policies to eradicate iodine deficiency. Iodine deficiency in utero is detrimental to cognitive ability, but little is known about the consequences of iodine deficiencies after birth. This paper examines the impact of iodine deficiency in adolescence on school performance. I exploit the introduction of iodized salt in Denmark during 1998–2001 as a natural experiment. Combining administrative records on high school grades over a 30-year period with geographic variation in initial iodine deficiency, I find that salt iodization increases the grade point average of students by 6–9 percent of a standard deviation.

AB - Over the past three decades, many countries have introduced iodized salt policies to eradicate iodine deficiency. Iodine deficiency in utero is detrimental to cognitive ability, but little is known about the consequences of iodine deficiencies after birth. This paper examines the impact of iodine deficiency in adolescence on school performance. I exploit the introduction of iodized salt in Denmark during 1998–2001 as a natural experiment. Combining administrative records on high school grades over a 30-year period with geographic variation in initial iodine deficiency, I find that salt iodization increases the grade point average of students by 6–9 percent of a standard deviation.

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

KW - Health

KW - Human capital

KW - Iodine deficiency

KW - Nutrition

U2 - 10.1111/sjoe.12473

DO - 10.1111/sjoe.12473

M3 - Journal article

VL - 124

SP - 869

EP - 902

JO - Scandinavian Journal of Economics

JF - Scandinavian Journal of Economics

SN - 0347-0520

IS - 3

ER -