Long-term Effects of Early-Life Malnutrition on Health Outcomes

Early-life nutrition plays an important role in human capital formulation and has lasting effect on health in the later stages of life.  Research in this area has mostly centered on famines that occurred in western countries during the last century.

Assistant Professor Kim Seong Hoon from SMU’s School of Economics, together with his co-authors, has conducted a study on the long-term impact on the mental and physical health of those born during the famine which took place during the Great Leap Forward Movement in China from 1959-1961.  Previous studies of this famine have focused on its long-term effects on the socio-economic outcomes of the survivors. 

In this podcast, Professor Kim shares with us the key findings of the research, and its implications.