Spillover effects of local human capital stock on adult obesity: Evidence from German neighborhoods

Arbeitspapier

This paper is the first to estimate the causal effect of local human capital stock on individual adiposity and adds to the existing literature on estimating human capital externalities at the neighborhood level. We explore the possible causal pathways that college-educated neighbors exert on individual body weight, with the results revealing small yet significant human capital spillover effects. Among all adults, a percentage point increase in the neighborhood college graduates share results in a decrease of individual body mass index by 0.0026 log points, as well as a decrease of the individual likelihood of being overweight by 0.77 percentage points. Among high school graduates and college graduates, a percentage point increase in the neighborhood college graduates share results in a decrease of individual likelihood of being overweight by approximately 0.83 percentage points.

Object Details

• ISBN: 978-3-86788-679-6
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: Ruhr Economic Papers ; No. 585

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Health, Education, and Welfare: General ; Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics: Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population; Neighborhood Characteristics
• Subject: obesity ; local human capital externalities ; control function ; non-random sorting

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Dang, Rui
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (RWI)
• (where): Essen
• (when): 2015

Further information

• DOI: doi:10.4419/86788679
• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/123696
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:41 AM CET