The Importance of Parental Knowledge and Social Norms: Evidence from Weight Report Cards in Mexico

Silvia Prina and Heather Royer

No 19344, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: The rise of childhood obesity in less developed countries is often overlooked. We study the impact of body weight report cards in Mexico. The report cards increased parental knowledge and shifted parental attitudes about children's weight. We observe no meaningful changes in parental behaviors or children's body mass index. Interestingly, parents of children in the most obese classrooms were less likely to report that their obese child weighed too much relative to those in the least obese classrooms. As obesity rates increase, reference points for appropriate body weights may rise, making it more difficult to lower obesity rates.

JEL-codes: I12 I18 O54 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem
Note: CH DEV EH PE
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Published as Journal of Health Economics Volume 37, September 2014, Pages 232–247 Cover image The importance of parental knowledge: Evidence from weight report cards in Mexico ☆ Silvia Prinaa, , Heather Royerb, ,

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