Population Research ›› 2023, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (5): 3-17.

    Next Articles

The Impact of Delayed Childbearing on Children's Health Development in Post-transitional China: Evidence from the CFPS2010-2020

Niu Jianlin   

  1. Niu Jianlin, Institute of Population and Labor Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
  • Published:2023-09-29 Online:2023-09-29
  • About Author:Niu Jianlin is Professor, Institute of Population and Labor Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Email: niujl@cass.org.cn

后人口转变期中国家庭晚育行为对子代健康发展的影响——基于2010~2020年CFPS数据的研究发现

牛建林   

  1. 牛建林,中国社会科学院人口与劳动经济研究所研究员
  • 作者简介:牛建林,中国社会科学院人口与劳动经济研究所研究员。邮箱地址: niujl@cass.org.cn
  • 基金资助:
    本文为国家社会科学基金一般项目"当代中国家庭转变对人力资本发展的影响"(18BRK035)的阶段性成果。

Abstract: Delayed childbearing has been found detrimental to children's health. While post-transitional China is observing a substantial increase of childbearing postponement, this study aims to investigate health impact of this trend on the next generation. Using data from the 2010-2020 China Family Panel Studies(CFPS), this study examines the multidimensional health differences related to both maternal and paternal ages in post-transitional China. The results show that delayed childbearing contributes negatively to children's birth weight, their physical development in childhood, and general health in adolescence. These health impacts operate partly through congenital factors, as manifested in the greater risk of low birth weight, and partly via the related family environments and resources. These findings highlight the need to incorporate health considerations into decisions about childbearing, both for health promotion and for sustained population development. 

Keywords: Post-transitional Era, Delayed Childbearing, Next Generation, Multidimensional Health Development

摘要: 以往不少研究发现,父母生育年龄过晚不利于子代健康发育。在后人口转变期,日益普遍的晚育行为如何影响子代健康还有待考证。利用2010~2020年中国家庭追踪调查(CFPS)数据,系统检验20世纪90年代中期以来父母晚育行为对子代出生时健康禀赋和成长过程中多维健康发展的影响。研究发现,父母过晚生育会显著增加子代出生体重偏低的风险,对子代成长过程中的体格发育和综合自评健康均具有不利影响;相应影响机制既包括先天因素导致的初始健康劣势及其长期不利健康效应,也包括后天家庭资源环境等因素的多维作用。在人口负增长形势下,重视父母晚育行为对子代健康发展的影响,对于强化年轻人婚育决策的健康理性意识和提高全社会健康资本积累效率具有重要的现实意义。

关键词: 后人口转变期, 晚育行为, 子代, 多维健康发展