Happy House: Spousal weight and individual well-being

Andrew Clark and Fabrice Etilé

Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers from HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York

Abstract: We use life satisfaction and Body Mass Index (BMI) information from three waves of the GSOEP to test for social interactions in BMI between spouses. Semi-parametric regressions show that partner’s BMI is, beyond a certain level, negatively correlated with own satisfaction. Own BMI is positively correlated with satisfaction in thin men, and negatively correlated with satisfaction after some threshold. Critically, this latter threshold increases with partner’s BMI when the individual is overweight. The negative well-being impact of own BMI is thus lower when the individual’s partner is heavier. This is consistent with social contagion effects in weight. However, this cross-partial effect is insignificant in instrumental variable regressions, suggesting that the uninstrumented relationship reflects selection on the marriage market or omitted variables, rather than contagion.

Keywords: Obesity; subjective well-being; BMI; social interactions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C14 I12 I3 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hap, nep-hea, nep-ltv and nep-soc
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Happy house: Spousal weight and individual well-being (2011)
Working Paper: Happy House: Spousal Weight and Individual Well-Being (2011)
Working Paper: Happy House: Spousal Weight and Individual Well-Being (2011)
Working Paper: Happy House: Spousal Weight and Individual Well-Being (2010)
Working Paper: Happy House: Spousal Weight and Individual Well-Being (2010)
Working Paper: Happy house: Spousal weight and individual well-being (2010)
Working Paper: Happy house: Spousal weight and individual well-being (2010)
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