Are the effects of height on well-being a tall tale?

Arbeitspapier

Numerous papers have documented a positive association between height and good physical health and also with good economic outcomes such as earnings. A smaller number have argued for an association with well-being. In this paper, cross-country data from Europe is used to analyse whether individuals' height is associated with higher or lower levels of life-satisfaction. In simple models there is a positive but concave relationship between height and life satisfaction. However it is shown that the results are quite sensitive to the inclusion of controls reflecting demographics, human capital and health status. Where effects do exist, it is predominantly at low to medium levels of height. There is also evidence of heterogeneity across countries.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: UCD Centre for Economic Research Working Paper Series ; No. WP15/30

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft
• Subject: height ; stature ; well-being ; life satisfaction ; health

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Denny, Kevin
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): University College Dublin, UCD School of Economics
• (where): Dublin
• (when): 2015

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/129323
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:45 AM CET