Internet use, dietary habits and adolescent obesity: evidence from China

Ke Ning (), Zheyi Zhu (), Zhigang Xu (), Haiyan Liu () and Mengting Lu ()
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Ke Ning: Zhejiang A&F University
Zheyi Zhu: Zhejiang A&F University
Zhigang Xu: Nanjing Agricultural University
Haiyan Liu: University of Waterloo
Mengting Lu: Zhejiang A&F University

International Journal of Health Economics and Management, 2024, vol. 24, issue 4, No 2, 517-535

Abstract: Abstract The widespread use of Internet has substantially influenced adolescents’ lifestyles. This paper systematically explored the impact of Internet use on adolescent obesity and unveiled the underlying mechanism in China. We discussed the relationship among Internet use, dietary habits and obesity, and estimated the impact using panel data collected by the China Health and Nutrition Survey. Results indicated that increased Internet use significantly raised the risk of obesity among adolescents by changing their dietary habits. With a longer time of Internet use, adolescents would increase more proportion of snacks, and choose food with higher fat and protein. This paper offers a new empirical evidence for understanding the mechanism of Internet use on adolescent obesity, and provides a reference for developing countries to guide adolescents toward moderate Internet use and lower the risk of obesity.

Keywords: Adolescent obesity; Internet use; Dietary habits; China; I12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1007/s10754-024-09386-z

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