PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Frisvold, David E.
AU  - Lumeng, Julie C.
TI  - Expanding Exposure
AID  - 10.3368/jhr.46.2.373
DP  - 2011 Mar 31
TA  - Journal of Human Resources
PG  - 373--402
VI  - 46
IP  - 2
4099  - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/46/2/373.short
4100  - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/46/2/373.full
SO  - J Hum Resour2011 Mar 31; 46
AB  - Coinciding with the work requirements of welfare reform in the mid-1990s, the early childhood education program, Head Start, significantly expanded to increase the availability of full-day classes. Using unique administrative data, we examine the effect of full-day compared to half-day attendance on childhood obesity. This effect is identified from changes in obesity over time and from the elimination of a state-provided full-day expansion grant that decreased the supply of full-day classes. Our results suggest that full-day Head Start attendance significantly reduces the proportion of obese children at the end of the academic year.