The Effect of Sorority Membership on Eating Disorders and Body Mass Index

Susan Averett (), Sabrina Terrizzi () and Yang Wang ()
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Sabrina Terrizzi: Moravian College
Yang Wang: University of Wisconsin-Madison

No 7512, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Eating disorders affect 12-25% of college women. Previous research established a positive correlation between sorority membership and eating disorders. We investigate a possible causal link between sororities and weight-related behaviors and eating disorders using data from the American College Health Association. Using Propensity Score Matching and Instrumental Variable methods, we confirm that sororities exert a negative effect on the weight-related behaviors of their members. However, females who are more resilient to these outcomes self-select into sororities, implying that females in sororities are less adversely affected by them than a female who was randomly selected to join a sorority would be.

Keywords: obesity; underweight; BMI; sorority; anorexia; bulimia; eating disorders; weight control (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 I18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 35 pages
Date: 2013-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem, nep-hea and nep-soc
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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Published - published in: Health economics, 2017, 26(7), 875-891.

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