Obesity, self-esteem, and wages

Citation

Mocan, Naci H. & Tekin, Erdal (2009). Obesity, self-esteem, and wages. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series. vol. No. 15101

Abstract

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/w15101

Notes

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.edu

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series

Author(s)

Mocan, Naci H.
Tekin, Erdal

Year Published

2009

Volume Number

No. 15101

DOI

10.3386/w15101

Reference ID

7472