The Effects of Education on Health: An Intergenerational Perspective

Mathias Huebener

Journal of Human Resources, 2025, vol. 60, issue 3, 743-779

Abstract: This work presents evidence of causal effects of parental education on children’s health behaviors and long-term health. I study intergenerational effects of a compulsory schooling increase in Germany, exploiting the staggered introduction of the reform with difference-in-differences models and event studies. Maternal schooling reduces children’s smoking and being overweight in adolescence. The effects persist into adulthood, reducing chronic conditions that often result from unhealthy lifestyles. I find no effects of paternal schooling. Increased maternal investments in children’s education and associated improvements in children’s peer environment at a critical age for initiating unhealthy behaviors are possible effect channels.

JEL-codes: I12 I24 I26 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
Note: DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.0219-10060R2
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:60:y:2025:i:3:p:743-779

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