Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/51666 
Year of Publication: 
2011
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 5841
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
There exists remarkably large differences in body weights and obesity prevalence between black and white women in the US, and crucially these differences are a significant contributor to black-white inequalities in health. In this paper, we investigate the most proximal explanations for the weight gap, namely differences in diet and exercise. More specifically, we decompose black-white differences in body mass index and waist-to-height ratio into components reflecting black-white differences in energy intake and energy expenditure. The analysis indicates that over consumption is much more important than a lack of exercise in explaining the weight gap, which suggests that diet interventions will have to play a fundamental role if the weight gap between black and white women is to decline.
Subjects: 
obesity
decomposition
JEL: 
I1
J11
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
418.53 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.