Abstract
Highlights
- Burning high-fluoride-content coal indoors is the primary source of fluoride pollution in Guizhou Province of China.
- We apply individual fixed effect models to examine the effects of whether households use coal as domestic fuel.
- Fluoride pollution from coal burning significantly increases the blood pressure levels and the likelihood of low weight.
- Fluoride pollution during infant periods reduces the height and weight of children in their childhood and adolescence periods.
- We find similar results using triple difference models.
In this paper we conducted an econometric analysis to investigate the impacts of fluoride pollution on health. Burning high-fluoride-content coal indoors is the primary source of fluoride pollution in Guizhou Province of China. Exploiting longitudinal data from China Health and Nutrition Survey, we applied individual fixed effect models and triple difference models to examine the effects of whether households use coal as domestic fuel. The results showed that fluoride pollution from coal burning significantly increases the diastolic and systolic blood pressure levels of adults. And the pollution also leads to higher likelihood of underweight. Our further analysis indicated that fluoride pollution from coal burning during the infant period greatly reduces the height and weight of children in their childhood and adolescence periods. We also explore the mechanism by investigating the influence of fluoride pollution exposure on birthweight and find evidence that fluoride pollution had a negative impact on prenatal development.