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Obesity and happiness: does gender matter?

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  • Ehsan Latif

Abstract

This study used longitudinal Canadian data from the National Population Health Survey (NPHS), covering a period of 1994-2006, to examine the impact of obesity on happiness. In order to control for unobserved individual-specific fixed effects, this study utilized the fixed effects method. The study found that obesity significantly reduces happiness for females, while it has an insignificant impact on happiness for males. The study further found that the negative impact of obesity on happiness is concentrated among females in prime working age group and also among females with a higher level of education.

Suggested Citation

  • Ehsan Latif, 2014. "Obesity and happiness: does gender matter?," Economics and Business Letters, Oviedo University Press, vol. 3(1), pages 59-67.
    • Handle: RePEc:ove:journl:aid:10019
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    File URL: https://reunido.uniovi.es/index.php/EBL/article/view/10019
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    1. Alois Stutzer & Armando N. Meier, 2016. "Limited Self‐control, Obesity, and the Loss of Happiness," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(11), pages 1409-1424, November.
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    7. Oswald, Andrew J. & Powdthavee, Nattavudh, 2007. "Obesity, Unhappiness, and The Challenge of Affluence: Theory and Evidence," IZA Discussion Papers 2717, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Andrew J. Oswald & Nattavudh Powdthavee, 2007. "Review 1: Obesity, Unhappiness, and The Challenge of Affluence: Theory and Evidence," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 117(521), pages 441-454, June.
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    1. Débora Godoy-Izquierdo & Raquel Lara & Adelaida Ogallar & Alejandra Rodríguez-Tadeo & María J. Ramírez & Estefanía Navarrón & Félix Arbinaga, 2021. "Psychosocial and Diet-Related Lifestyle Clusters in Overweight and Obesity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-15, June.
    2. Débora Godoy-Izquierdo & Juan González-Hernández & Alejandra Rodríguez-Tadeo & Raquel Lara & Adelaida Ogallar & Estefanía Navarrón & María J. Ramírez & Clara López-Mora & Félix Arbinaga, 2020. "Body Satisfaction, Weight Stigma, Positivity, and Happiness among Spanish Adults with Overweight and Obesity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-13, June.
    3. BARONE, Adriana & NESE, Annamaria, 2014. "Body Weight and Academic Performance: Gender and Peer Effects," CELPE Discussion Papers 129, CELPE - CEnter for Labor and Political Economics, University of Salerno, Italy.

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