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Weight Loss and Sexual Activity in adult Obese Individuals: Establishing a Causal Link

Author

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  • Tauchmann, Harald
  • Reichert, Arndt Rüdiger
  • Wübker, Ansgar

Abstract

Obesity may not only be linked to undesirable health outcomes but also to limitations in sexual life. The present paper aims to assess whether there is a relationship between weight change and sexual activity in obese individuals. To address the endogeneity of weight loss that is likely to result in biased estimation results, the analysis is based on data from a randomized controlled trial. In this experiment financial weight-loss rewards were randomly offen and to a subgroup of participants and can be used as exogenous source of weight variation in an instrumental variables approach. Estimation results indicate that for obese males loosing weight increases both the probability for being involved in a sexual relationship. Conditional on having already lost some weight, a further reduction of obesity also increases the frequency of sexual intercourse.

Suggested Citation

  • Tauchmann, Harald & Reichert, Arndt Rüdiger & Wübker, Ansgar, 2015. "Weight Loss and Sexual Activity in adult Obese Individuals: Establishing a Causal Link," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 113048, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:vfsc15:113048
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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. Augurzky, Boris & Bauer, Thomas K. & Reichert, Arndt R. & Schmidt, Christoph M. & Tauchmann, Harald, 2014. "Small Cash Rewards for Big Losers – Experimental Insights Into the Fight Against the Obesity Epidemic," Ruhr Economic Papers 530, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
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    4. Arndt R. Reichert, 2015. "Obesity, Weight Loss, and Employment Prospects: Evidence from a Randomized Trial," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 50(3), pages 759-810.
    5. Markus H. Schafer & Sarah A. Mustillo & Kenneth F. Ferraro, 2013. "Age and the Tenses of Life Satisfaction," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 68(4), pages 571-579.
    6. Augurzky, Boris & Bauer, Thomas K. & Reichert, Arndt R. & Schmidt, Christoph M. & Tauchmann, Harald, 2012. "Does Money Burn Fat? Evidence from a Randomized Experiment," IZA Discussion Papers 6888, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. repec:zbw:rwirep:0381 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Cawley, John & Price, Joshua A., 2013. "A case study of a workplace wellness program that offers financial incentives for weight loss," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 794-803.
    9. 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.
    10. David Roodman, 2011. "Fitting fully observed recursive mixed-process models with cmp," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 11(2), pages 159-206, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. 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.
    2. Eilers Lea & Pilny Adam, 2018. "Data from a Randomized Experiment: Financial Incentives on Weight Loss (RWI-Obesity)," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 238(6), pages 591-600, October.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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