Mental health and obesity
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Dusanee Kesavayuth [2] ; Vasileios Zikos [1]
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[1] Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University
Tailandia
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[2] University, Bangkok, Thailand
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- Localización: Applied economic analysis, ISSN 2632-7627, Vol. 32, Nº. 94, 2024, págs. 41-61
- Idioma: inglés
- Enlaces
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Resumen
Purpose Obesity is a significant public health issue. With obesity increasing worldwide, risk factors for obesity need to be better understood and require careful examination. This study aims to examine mental health as a risk factor for obesity using longitudinal data from Australia.
Design/methodology/approach The main identification strategy relies on the recent death of a close friend and a serious injury or illness to a family member as exogenous shocks to mental health.
Findings The authors’ preferred estimates, which account for the endogeneity of mental health, suggest that mental health has a significant negative impact on obesity. This result proves to be robust to a suite of sensitivity checks. Further investigations reveal that poor mental health leads to increased smoking, which also has an effect on obesity.
Originality/value The study’s findings provide a new perspective on how good mental health helps curb obesity.
