Mental health and obesity

Dusanee Kesavayuth and Vasileios Zikos

Applied Economic Analysis, 2024, vol. 32, issue 94, 41-61

Abstract: Purpose - Obesity is a significant public health issue. With obesity increasing worldwide, risk factors for obesity need to be better understood and require careful examination. This study aims to examine mental health as a risk factor for obesity using longitudinal data from Australia. Design/methodology/approach - The main identification strategy relies on the recent death of a close friend and a serious injury or illness to a family member as exogenous shocks to mental health. Findings - The authors’ preferred estimates, which account for the endogeneity of mental health, suggest that mental health has a significant negative impact on obesity. This result proves to be robust to a suite of sensitivity checks. Further investigations reveal that poor mental health leads to increased smoking, which also has an effect on obesity. Originality/value - The study’s findings provide a new perspective on how good mental health helps curb obesity.

Keywords: Obesity; Mental health; Well-being; HILDA; D01; I10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:aeapps:aea-06-2023-0212

DOI: 10.1108/AEA-06-2023-0212

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