Consecuencias de la ausencia del desayuno/merienda escolar: una evaluación de impacto
Abstract
La presente investigación evalúa el impacto de la Alimentación Complementaria Escolar (comúnmente conocida como desayuno/merienda escolar) sobre los gastos en alimentación por parte de los hogares, salud y seguridad alimentaria. La investigación toma importancia debido a la crisis mundial ocasionada por el Nuevo Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) que obliga a la mayoría de los países latinoamericanos, incluido Bolivia, a permanecer en cuarentena, deteniendo las actividades escolares y, en consecuencia, privando a los niños (as) /adolescentes de colegios públicos y de convenio de la Alimentación Complementaria Escolar. Dado que algunos estudiantes reciben el desayuno/merienda escolar y otros no, se propone un método de emparejamiento por puntaje de propensión (propensity score matching) para recrear un contexto experimental y, de esa forma, poder estimar de mejor manera el efecto del tratamiento. Los resultados de la estimación con los diferentes métodos de inferencia empleados muestran que la recepción de la Alimentación Complementaria Escolar representa un alivio por parte de los hogares en el gasto en alimentación y, resultados a nivel seguridad alimentaria, muestran que la ausencia del desayuno/merienda escolar incrementa la probabilidad de que el hogar perciba cierto grado inseguridad alimentaria.
This research assesses the impact of Alimentación Complementaria Escolar (commonly known as school breakfast/snack) on household expenditure on food, health and food security. The research becomes important due to the global crisis caused by the New Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that forces most Latin American countries, including Bolivia, to remain in quarantine, thus stopping school activities and, consequently, depriving the children/adolescents of public schools the Alimentación Complementaria Escolar. Given that some students receive school breakfast/snack and others do not, a propensity score matching method is proposed to recreate an experimental context and, thus, to estimate the average treatment effect in a better way. The results of the estimation with the different inference methods used show that the receipt of Alimentación Complementaria Escolar represents a relief in the expenditure on food that households make and, results at the food security level, show that the absence of school breakfast/snack increases the probability that the household perceives some degree of food insecurity.
This research assesses the impact of Alimentación Complementaria Escolar (commonly known as school breakfast/snack) on household expenditure on food, health and food security. The research becomes important due to the global crisis caused by the New Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that forces most Latin American countries, including Bolivia, to remain in quarantine, thus stopping school activities and, consequently, depriving the children/adolescents of public schools the Alimentación Complementaria Escolar. Given that some students receive school breakfast/snack and others do not, a propensity score matching method is proposed to recreate an experimental context and, thus, to estimate the average treatment effect in a better way. The results of the estimation with the different inference methods used show that the receipt of Alimentación Complementaria Escolar represents a relief in the expenditure on food that households make and, results at the food security level, show that the absence of school breakfast/snack increases the probability that the household perceives some degree of food insecurity.
Description
No. 35