The effects of old and new media on children's weight

Agne Suziedelyte

Applied Economics, 2015, vol. 47, issue 10, 1008-1018

Abstract: Childhood obesity rates have recently been rising in many countries. It has been suggested in the literature that changes in children's media exposure may contribute to explaining this trend. I investigate whether or not this hypothesis is supported by data. I contribute to the literature by focusing not only on television but also on new media - computers and video games. The Child Development Supplement to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics is used for the analysis. To address the endogeneity of children's media exposure, I use dynamic and panel data models. This is another improvement upon the existing literature. Additionally, an extensive list of control variables is included in the regressions. I find that video game playing or computer use has no effect on children's body weight. On the other hand, television viewing may increase children's body weight slightly.

Date: 2015
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Working Paper: The effects of old and new media on children's weight (2012)
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DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2014.987916

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