Birth Order and Son Preference to Determine the Children of Shandong Province So Tall

TL;DR

This study investigates how birth order and son preference influence height disparities among children in Shandong Province, revealing a significant birth order gradient linked to cultural preferences affecting health outcomes.

Contribution

It uncovers the role of birth order and son preference in height differences, highlighting cultural influences on child health in Shandong.

Findings

Steeper birth order height gradient in Shandong compared to other provinces.

High son preference correlates with increased height disparities by birth order.

Birth order gradient explains over half of the height gap between Shandong and other regions.

Abstract

More children in Shandong Province are stunted than any other province in China. Data on more than 122,000 children show a dramatic increase in height advantage with birth order in Shandong relative to the average of other provinces. We suggest that the steep birth order gradient in Shandong is due to a preference for the eldest child, which influences parental fertility decisions and resource allocation to children. We show that within Shandong province, the gradient is steeper for regions and cultures with a high preference for the eldest child. As predicted, this gradient also varies with the sex of the sibling. By back-calculating, the steeper birth order gradient in Shandong Province explains more than half of the average height gap between Shandong Province and the rest of China.