Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/66218 
Year of Publication: 
2005
Citation: 
[Journal:] Schmollers Jahrbuch [ISSN:] 0342-1783 [Volume:] 125 [Issue:] 1 [Publisher:] Duncker&Humblot [Place:] Berlin [Year:] 2005 [Pages:] 119-129
Publisher: 
Duncker & Humblot, Berlin
Abstract: 
This paper investigates and compares the relationship between obesity and earnings in the U.S. and Germany. Using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (U.S.) and the German Socio-Economic Panel, instrumental variables models are estimated that account for the endogeneity of body weight. We find that, in both countries, heavier women tend to earn less. For example, obesity is associated with almost 20 percent lower earnings for U.S. and German women. We test for causality using IV models; these models suggest that weight may lower labor earnings for U.S. women. However, our IV results yield no evidence of a causal impact of weight on earnings for women in Germany or for men in either country.
Subjects: 
Obesity
Weight
Labor Market Outcomes
IV estimation
JEL: 
J71
J31
J10
I10
Document Type: 
Article
Document Version: 
Manuscript Version (Preprint)

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