Body Weight of Italians: The Weight of Education

32 Pages Posted: 31 Mar 2011 Last revised: 2 Mar 2014

See all articles by Vincenzo Atella

Vincenzo Atella

University of Rome Tor Vergata - Centre for International Studies on Economic Growth (CEIS); Department of Economics and Finance; University of Rome Tor Vergata - Faculty of Economics

Joanna Kopinska

University of Rome Tor Vergata - Faculty of Economics; University of Rome Tor Vergata - Centre for International Studies on Economic Growth (CEIS)

Date Written: March 29, 2011

Abstract

In this paper we empirically study the relationship between education attainment and Body Mass Index (BMI), using as theoretical reference an energy balance model. Our data consist of individual level data from eight waves of the Italian survey on life-styles. We use Quantile Regression (QR) technique to study the impact of education along the whole distribution of the BMI and provide evidence that the effect of education on BMI is greater in magnitude for the overweight and the obese. This effect is reinforced (three times greater) once we account for the endogeneity of some of the determinants of BMI (IVQTE). Finally, we adopt a model specification that allows us to test if education is likely to affect BMI indirectly, through channels such as the adoption of better life styles (healthier diet and more sport activities). Results seem to confirm this hypothesis, and this may reveal an important information for policymakers.

Keywords: BMI, Instrumental variables, Quantile regression, IVQTE

JEL Classification: C23, I11, L23, I12, I21

Suggested Citation

Atella, Vincenzo and Kopinska, Joanna, Body Weight of Italians: The Weight of Education (March 29, 2011). CEIS Working Paper No. 189, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1798643 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1798643

Vincenzo Atella (Contact Author)

University of Rome Tor Vergata - Centre for International Studies on Economic Growth (CEIS) ( email )

Via Columbia, 2
Rome, I-00133
Italy
+39 06 72595648 (Phone)

Department of Economics and Finance ( email )

Via Columbia 2
Roma, 00133
Italy

University of Rome Tor Vergata - Faculty of Economics ( email )

Via Columbia n.2
I-00133 Rome, 00133
Italy
+39 06 72595635 (Phone)
+30 06 2020 500 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.economia.uniroma2.it/sefemeq/professori/atella/

Joanna Kopinska

University of Rome Tor Vergata - Faculty of Economics ( email )

Via Columbia n.2
Rome, rome 00100
Italy

University of Rome Tor Vergata - Centre for International Studies on Economic Growth (CEIS) ( email )

Via Columbia, 2
Rome
Italy

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