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Parental Beliefs about Returns to Child Health Investments

Author

Listed:
  • Pietro Biroli

    (University of Zurich)

  • Teodora Boneva

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Akash Raja

    (London School of Economics and Political Science)

  • Christopher Rauh

    (University of Cambridge, INET Institute)

Abstract

Childhood obesity has adverse health and productivity consequences and poses negative externalities to health services. Its increase in recent decades can be traced back to unhealthy habits acquired in the household. We investigate whether parental beliefs play a role by eliciting beliefs about the returns to a recommended-calorie diet and regular exercise using hypothetical investment scenarios. We show that perceived returns are predictive of health investments and outcomes, and that less educated parents perceive the returns to health investments to be lower, thus contributing to the socioeconomic inequality in health outcomes and the intergenerational transmission of obesity.

Suggested Citation

  • Pietro Biroli & Teodora Boneva & Akash Raja & Christopher Rauh, 2018. "Parental Beliefs about Returns to Child Health Investments," Working Papers 2018-008, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    • Handle: RePEc:hka:wpaper:2018-008
    Note: ECI
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    parental investments; Health; beliefs; Inequality; equality of opportunity; obesity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D19 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Other
    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality

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