Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/251433 
Authors: 
Year of Publication: 
2022
Series/Report no.: 
Working Paper No. 401
Publisher: 
University of Zurich, Department of Economics, Zurich
Abstract: 
I study the economic value of obesity - a seemingly inconsequential but unhealthy status symbol in poor countries. Randomizing decision-makers in Kampala, Uganda to view weight-manipulated portraits, I make four findings. First, obesity is perceived as a reliable signal of wealth rather than beauty and health. Second, being obese facilitates access to credit: in a real-stakes experiment involving loan officers, the obesity premium is comparable to raising borrower self-reported earnings by 60%. Third, asymmetric information drives this premium, which drops significantly when more financial information is provided. Fourth, obesity benefits and wealth-signaling value are commonly overestimated, raising the cost of healthy behaviors.
Subjects: 
Obesity
status
asymmetric information
JEL: 
I10
O10
Z13
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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