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Does the promotion of community social capital reduce obesity risk?

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  • Yoon, Jangho
  • Brown, Timothy T.
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    Abstract

    We explore whether higher levels of community social capital reduce the likelihood of being obese in the U.S. adult population. We also examine whether this relationship may differ by levels of schooling. Data come from the 2001 to 2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, and are augmented with a validated measure of community social capital, the Petris Social Capital Index. We find that greater community social capital reduces adult obesity risk, and has a larger effect on persons with more schooling. Social capital affects obesity through the promotion of weight-control efforts.

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    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6W5H-525YP5T-2/2/88892f3c2fad588c8d10d04f09b20639
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    Article provided by Elsevier in its journal Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics).

    Volume (Year): 40 (2011)
    Issue (Month): 3 (May)
    Pages: 296-305

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    Handle: RePEc:eee:soceco:v:40:y:2011:i:3:p:296-305
    Contact details of provider: Web page: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/620175

    Keywords: Social capital Obesity Physical activity Diet Schooling Prevention;

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    Cited by:

    1. Salahodjaev, Raufhon & Azam, Sardor, 2015. "IQ and the Weight of Nations," MPRA Paper 66144, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Susan L Averett & Laura M Argys & Jennifer C Kohn, 2014. "Friends with Health Benefits: Does Individual-level Social Capital Improve Health?," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 40(2), pages 181-201, March.
    3. Fumagalli, Elena & Mentzakis, Emmanouil & Suhrcke, Marc, 2013. "Do political factors matter in explaining under- and overweight outcomes in developing countries?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 48-56.
    4. Shoff, Carla & Yang, Tse-Chuan, 2013. "Understanding maternal smoking during pregnancy: Does residential context matter?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 50-60.
    5. Hollard, Guillaume & Sene, Omar, 2016. "Social capital and access to primary health care in developing countries: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 1-11.

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