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The effect of higher education on Women's obesity and smoking: Evidence from college openings in Turkey

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  • Baltagi, Badi H.
  • Flores-Lagunes, Alfonso
  • Karatas, Haci M.

Abstract

We analyze the effect of higher education on obesity and smoking behavior among women by exploiting the largely exogenous and substantial increase in university openings between 1983 and 2002 throughout Turkey. Using women's province of residence when they make their college decision, we constructed two college accessibility measures to serve as instruments for years of schooling. Growing up in a province with a college increases attained years of schooling by about 0.8 years, and university enrollment by 5 percentage-points (80%). We find that one additional year of schooling reduces obesity by 4 percentage points and increases the probability of smoking by 5–6 percentage points. The contrasting effects of schooling attainment on obesity and smoking behavior suggest that, in a developing country setting, higher education affects health thorough changing the socio-economic environment and health inputs of women.

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  • Baltagi, Badi H. & Flores-Lagunes, Alfonso & Karatas, Haci M., 2023. "The effect of higher education on Women's obesity and smoking: Evidence from college openings in Turkey," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecmode:v:123:y:2023:i:c:s0264999323000986
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econmod.2023.106286
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Health; Tertiary education; Women; Body mass index; Obesity; Smoking; Turkey;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education
    • C26 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Instrumental Variables (IV) Estimation

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