Citation
Mocan, Naci H. & Tekin, Erdal (2009). Obesity, self-esteem, and wages. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series. vol. No. 15101Abstract
Obesity is associated with serious health problems, and it can generate adverse economic outcomes. We analyze a nationally-representative sample of young American adults to investigate the interplay between obesity, wages and self-esteem. Wages can be impacted directly by obesity, and they can be influenced by obesity indirectly through the channel of obesity to self-esteem to wages. We find that female wages are directly influenced by body weight, and self-esteem has an impact on wages in case of whites. Being overweight or obese has a negative impact on the self-esteem of females and of black males. The results suggest that obesity has the most significant impact on white women's wages.URL
http://www.nber.org/papers/w15101Notes
Author contact info: Naci H. Mocan Department of Economics Louisiana State University 2439 BEC Baton Rouge, LA 70803-6306 Tel: 225/578-4570 E-Mail: mocan@lsu.edu Erdal Tekin School of Public Affairs American University 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016-8070 Tel: (202) 885-6361 E-Mail: tekin@american.eduReference Type
Journal ArticleJournal Title
National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper SeriesAuthor(s)
Mocan, Naci H.Tekin, Erdal