Intergenerational effect of schooling and childhood overweight

R. Nakamura

Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers from HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York

Abstract: Prevalence of overweight among children is at the top of health policy agenda in many developed countries. We study the causal effect of mothers' schooling on children's body weight. We exploit the 1972 schooling reform in England and Wales, which raised the minimum school leaving age from Fifteen to sixteen. Our regression-discontinuity estimates use Health Survey for England (1998-2002) and show that the extra year of schooling for mothers induced by the reform significantly reduces their son's weight. There is only insignificant negative effect for daughters. Additionally, we do not find that mothers' schooling improves children's health behaviour (fruit and vegetable consumption; exercising).

Keywords: Overweight children; Schooling; Regression-discontinuity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 I20 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem, nep-hea and nep-lab
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:yor:hectdg:12/02

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