The effect of friends on adolescent body weight

Citation

Renna, Francesco; Grafova, Irina B.; & Thakur, N. (2008). The effect of friends on adolescent body weight. Economics and Human Biology. vol. 6 (3) pp. 377-387

Abstract

Using the first wave of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) survey, this paper examines the influence of peers on adolescent weight. A peer group is defined as a close circle of friends that are identified by a respondent adolescent. After controlling for school fixed effects and for a number of individual, demographic and family characteristics, we find that a higher Body Mass Index (BMI) of close friends is correlated to a higher BMI of the respondent adolescent. However, after instrumental variable analysis is performed, the effect remains significant only among women. We also found that adolescents are more responsive to the body weight of their same gender friends.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.ehb.2008.06.005

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

Economics and Human Biology

Author(s)

Renna, Francesco
Grafova, Irina B.
Thakur, N.

Year Published

2008

Volume Number

6

Issue Number

3

Pages

377-387

ISSN/ISBN

1570-677X

DOI

10.1016/j.ehb.2008.06.005

Reference ID

891