Time and risk preferences of children predict health behaviors but not BMI

Greta List, John List, Lina M. Ramirez and Anya Samek

Economics Letters, 2022, vol. 218, issue C

Abstract: We conduct experiments with 720 children ages 9–11 to evaluate the relationship of time and risk preferences with health. Children who are more patient report consuming fewer unhealthy calories and spending less time on sedentary activities such as video games. Children who are more risk seeking report engaging in more exercise and more screen time. However, time and risk preferences are not predictive of body mass index (BMI). Moreover, some of the negative health behaviors, such as screen time, are associated with lower – rather than higher – BMI.

Keywords: Risk preferences; Time preferences; Health; Children (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C93 I12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Working Paper: Time and Risk Preferences of Children Predict Health Behaviors but not BMI (2022)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:218:y:2022:i:c:s0165176522002506

DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2022.110724

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