Obesity and Happiness

Arbeitspapier

This paper provides insight on the relationship between obesity and happiness. Using the latest available cross sectional data from Germany (GSOEP 2006), UK (BHPS 2005), and Australia (HILDA 2007). We examine whether there is evidence on the impact of overweight on subjective well being. The Hausman test is employed in the univariate and multivariate specifications chosen and reveals evidence for the presence of endogeneity in the German and the Australian data. Instrumental variable analysis is performed under the presence of endogeneity whereas for the UK we run OLS regressions. Results indicate that in all three countries obesity has a negative and significant effect on the subjective well being of individuals. For Germany, using a differences-in-differences methodology, I find that non-overweight/non-obese individuals are on average 0.5 units happier than their overweight/obese counterparts. Our findings also have important implications for the effect of other socio-demographic, economic and individual characteristics on well being.

Angaben zum Objekt

• Sprache: Englisch

Verweise und Beziehungen

• Erschienen in: Series: SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research ; No. 270

Klassifikation und Themen

• Klassifikation: Wirtschaft ; Welfare Economics: General ; General Welfare; Well-Being
• Thema: Happiness ; obesity ; instrumental variable analysis ; subjective well-being ; Körpergewicht ; Zufriedenheit ; IV-Schätzung ; Deutschland ; Großbritannien ; Australien

Beteiligte, Orts- und Zeitangaben

• Ereignis: Geistige Schöpfung
• (wer): Katsaiti, Marina-Selini
• Ereignis: Veröffentlichung
• (wer): Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW)
• (wo): Berlin
• (wann): 2010

Weitere Informationen

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/150816
• Letzte Aktualisierung: 10.03.2025, 11:43 MEZ