Spillover Effects of Local Human Capital Stock on Adult Obesity – Evidence from German Neighborhoods
55 Pages Posted: 27 Dec 2015
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Spillover Effects of Local Human Capital Stock on Adult Obesity - Evidence from German Neighborhoods
Date Written: October 21, 2015
Abstract
This paper is the first to estimate the causal effect of local human capital stock on individual adiposity and adds to the existing literature on estimating human capital externalities at the neighborhood level. We explore the possible causal pathways that college-educated neighbors exert on individual body weight, with the results revealing small yet significant human capital spillover effects. Among all adults, a percentage point increase in the neighborhood college graduates share results in a decrease of individual body mass index by 0.0026 log points, as well as a decrease of the individual likelihood of being overweight by 0.77 percentage points. Among high school graduates and college graduates, a percentage point increase in the neighborhood college graduates share results in a decrease of individual likelihood of being overweight by approximately 0.83 percentage points.
Keywords: Obesity; local human capital externalities; control function; non-random sorting
JEL Classification: I00, R23
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation