The importance of parental knowledge: Evidence from weight report cards in Mexico

Silvia Prina and Heather Royer

Journal of Health Economics, 2014, vol. 37, issue C, 232-247

Abstract: The rise of childhood obesity in less developed countries is often overlooked. We study the impact of body weight report cards in Mexico. The report cards increased parental knowledge and shifted parental attitudes about children's weight. We observe no meaningful changes in parental behaviors or children's body mass index. Interestingly, parents of children in the most obese classrooms were less likely to report that their obese child weighed too much relative to those in the least obese classrooms. As obesity rates increase, reference points for appropriate body weights may rise, making it more difficult to lower obesity rates.

Keywords: Obesity; Health; Information; Mexico; Field experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 I18 O54 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (26)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:37:y:2014:i:c:p:232-247

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2014.07.001

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