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The effect of body weight on adolescent sexual activity

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  • Joseph J. Sabia
  • Daniel I. Rees

Abstract

Recent research suggests that overweight females suffer penalties in the labor and marriage markets, while overweight males do not. This study explores whether similar gender differences in the effect of body weight exist in what Cawley et al. (2006) labeled ‘the adolescent sex market’. Drawing on data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we use fixed effects and instrumental variables identification strategies to estimate the relationship between body weight and sexual activity. We find evidence that increased body weight lowers the probability that female adolescents become sexually active. In contrast, there is little evidence of a causal relationship between body weight and sexual activity for male adolescents. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • Joseph J. Sabia & Daniel I. Rees, 2011. "The effect of body weight on adolescent sexual activity," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 20(11), pages 1330-1348, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:20:y:2011:i:11:p:1330-1348
    DOI: 10.1002/hec.1674
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sabia, Joseph J. & Rees, Daniel I., 2008. "The effect of adolescent virginity status on psychological well-being," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 1368-1381, September.
    2. Susan Averett & Sanders Korenman, 1996. "The Economic Reality of the Beauty Myth," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 31(2), pages 304-330.
    3. Douglas Staiger & James H. Stock, 1997. "Instrumental Variables Regression with Weak Instruments," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 65(3), pages 557-586, May.
    4. Imbens, Guido W & Angrist, Joshua D, 1994. "Identification and Estimation of Local Average Treatment Effects," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 62(2), pages 467-475, March.
    5. John Cawley, 2004. "The Impact of Obesity on Wages," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 39(2).
    6. Joseph J. Sabia, 2007. "The Effect of Body Weight on Adolescent Academic Performance," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 73(4), pages 871-900, April.
    7. Bruce Sacerdote, 2007. "How Large are the Effects from Changes in Family Environment? A Study of Korean American Adoptees," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 122(1), pages 119-157.
    8. Joseph Sabia & Daniel Rees, 2009. "The effect of sexual abstinence on females' educational attainment," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 46(4), pages 695-715, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Reichert, Arndt R. & Tauchmann, Harald & Wübker, Ansgar, 2015. "Weight loss and sexual activity in adult obese individuals: Establishing a causal link," Ruhr Economic Papers 561, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    2. Lucas Hafner & Harald Tauchmann & Ansgar Wübker, 2021. "Does moderate weight loss affect subjective health perception in obese individuals? Evidence from field experimental data," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 61(4), pages 2293-2333, October.
    3. Wilson, Nicholas & Janicki, Martha, 2016. "A cut above the rest? Private anthropometrics in marriage markets," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 164-179.
    4. Ali, Mir M. & Rizzo, John A. & Amialchuk, Aliaksandr & Heiland, Frank, 2014. "Racial differences in the influence of female adolescents’ body size on dating and sex," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 12(C), pages 140-152.

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