Do nutritional supplements reduce iron-deficiency anemia in children? Evidence from Ecuador

A micronutrient deficiency during infancy impairs growth, increases the risk of mortality, and can have long term effects on cognitive development. We evaluate a nationwide public policy that administered "sprinkles" to reduce iron-deficiency anemia in children 6 to 59 months of age in Ecuador, a country that has persistent problems with iron-deficiencies among children. We exploit the exogenous age eligibility rule of the program to identify its causal effect, and address non-compliance issues with a Fuzzy RD design and IV models. Our IV estimates suggest that the program reduces Hb levels in children with low Hb but increases Hb levels in children with higher Hb levels. On average, these heterogeneous effects cancel out and both RD and IV estimates yield insignificant effects