Maternal Employment and Childhood Obesity: A European Perspective

Wencke Gwozdz (), Alfonso Sousa-Poza, Lucia A. Reisch (), Wolfgang Ahrens (), Stefaan De Henauw (), Gabriele Eiben (), Juan M. Fernández-Alvira, Charalampos Hadjigeorgiou, Eva Kovács (), Fabio Lauria (), Toomas Veidebaum (), Garrath Williams () and Karin Bammann ()
Additional contact information
Lucia A. Reisch: Copenhagen Business School
Wolfgang Ahrens: University of Bremen
Stefaan De Henauw: Ghent University
Gabriele Eiben: University of Gothenburg
Juan M. Fernández-Alvira: University of Zaragoza
Charalampos Hadjigeorgiou: affiliation not available
Eva Kovács: University of Pecs
Fabio Lauria: National Research Council, Italy
Toomas Veidebaum: affiliation not available
Garrath Williams: Lancaster University
Karin Bammann: University of Bremen

No 7371, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: The substantial increase in female employment rates in Europe over the past two decades has often been linked in political and public rhetoric to negative effects on child development, including obesity. We analyse this association between maternal employment and childhood obesity using rich objective reports of various anthropometric and other measures of fatness from the IDEFICS study of children aged 2-9 in 16 regions of eight European countries. Based on such data as accelerometer measures and information from nutritional diaries, we also investigate the effects of maternal employment on obesity's main drivers: calorie intake and physical activity. Our analysis provides little evidence for any association between maternal employment and childhood obesity, diet or physical activity.

Keywords: children; maternal employment; obesity; Europe (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 J13 J22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 39 pages
Date: 2013-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem, nep-eur, nep-hea and nep-ltv
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (28)

Published - published in: Journal of Health Economics, 2013, 32 (4), 728-742

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Related works:
Journal Article: Maternal employment and childhood obesity – A European perspective (2013)
Working Paper: Maternal employment and childhood obesity: A European perspective (2013)
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