The Direct Effect of Obesity on Emotional Well-Being: Evidence from Mexico

Olivier Bargain and Jinan Zeidan
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Jinan Zeidan: GREQAM - Groupement de Recherche en Économie Quantitative d'Aix-Marseille - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - ECM - École Centrale de Marseille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

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Abstract: Obesity spreads more easily if is not perceived negatively. This may be the case among the poor, for whom fatness can be an external sign of wealth. We estimate the direct effect of overweight on emotional well-being in Mexico, a country facing the highest obesity rate in the world. Individual fatness is instrumented using variation in genetic predisposition. Results confirm a positive or insignificant effects of obesity among the poor and point to a depressing effect among the rich. This is consistent with contrasted norms, related to unequal development levels, which may exacerbate health inequality and justify targeted communication by health authorities.

Keywords: emotional well-being; obesity; waist-to-height ratio (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hap
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-01024452
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Working Paper: The Direct Effect of Obesity on Emotional Well-Being: Evidence from Mexico (2014)
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