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Intergenerational and socioeconomic gradients of child obesity

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  • Costa-Font, Joan
  • Gil, Joan
Abstract
Can the rise in obesity among children be attributed to the intergenerational transmission of parental influences? Does this trend affect the influence of parent's socioeconomic status on obesity? This paper documents evidence of an emerging social gradient of obesity in pre-school children resulting from a combination of both socio-economic status and less intensive childcare associated with maternal employment, when different forms of intergenerational transmission are controlled for. We also estimate and decompose income related inequalities in child obesity. We take advantage of a uniquely constructed dataset from Spain that contains records form 13,358 individuals for a time period (years 2003–2006) in which a significant spike in the growth of child obesity was observed. Our results suggest robust evidence of both socioeconomic and intergenerational gradients. Results are suggestive of a high income effect in child obesity, alongside evidence that income inequalities have doubled in just three years with a pure income effect accounting for as much as 72–66% of these income inequality estimates, even when intergenerational transmission is accounted for. Although, intergenerational transmission does not appear to be gender specific, when accounted for, mother's labour market participation only explains obesity among boys but not among girls. Hence, it appears income and parental influences are the central determinants of obesity among children.

Suggested Citation

  • Costa-Font, Joan & Gil, Joan, 2013. "Intergenerational and socioeconomic gradients of child obesity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 29-37.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:93:y:2013:i:c:p:29-37
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.05.035
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    Cited by:

    1. Jonathan Briody, 2020. "Parental Unemployment During the Great Recession and Childhood Adiposity," Working Papers 202011, School of Economics, University College Dublin.
    2. Jonathan Briody, 2020. "Parental Unemployment During the Great Recession and Childhood Adiposity," Working Papers 202002, Geary Institute, University College Dublin.
    3. Philippe Batifoulier & Louise Braddock & Victor Duchesne & Ariane Ghirardello & John Latsis, 2021. "Das Targeting von „Lifestyle“-Bedingungen. Welche Rechtfertigungen für die Behandlung? [“Targeting Lifestyle" Conditions: What Justifications for Treatment?]," Post-Print hal-03345323, HAL.
    4. Apouey, Bénédicte H. & Geoffard, Pierre-Yves, 2016. "Parents’ education and child body weight in France: The trajectory of the gradient in the early years," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 70-89.
    5. Bezawit T. Agiro & Wei-Chiao Huang, 2020. "Re-Examining the Effect of Maternal Employment on Child Overweight: The Case of School-Age Children," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 41(1), pages 140-157, March.
    6. Cristina Bellés‐Obrero & Sergi Jiménez‐Martín & Judit Vall‐Castello, 2016. "Bad Times, Slimmer Children?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(S2), pages 93-112, November.
    7. Bénédicte Apouey, 2016. "Child physical development in the UK: The imprint of time and socioeconomic status," Working Papers halshs-01364464, HAL.
    8. Andreella, Claudia & Karlsson, Martin & Nilsson, Therese & Westphal, Matthias, 2015. "The long shadows of past insults intergenerational transmission of health over 130 years," Ruhr Economic Papers 571, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    9. Finaret, Amelia B. & Masters, William A., 2020. "Can shorter mothers have taller children? Nutritional mobility, health equity and the intergenerational transmission of relative height," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    10. Joan Costa-i-Font & Mireia Jofre-Bonet & Julian Le Grand, 2015. "Vertical Transmission of Overweight: Evidence from English Adoptees," CESifo Working Paper Series 5351, CESifo.
    11. James, Adrian & Mendolia, Silvia & Paloyo, Alfredo R., 2021. "Income-based inequality of adolescent obesity in Australia," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    12. Costa-Font, Joan & Jofre-Bonet, Mireia & Le Grand, Julian, 2020. "Vertical transmission of overweight: Evidence from a sample of English adoptees," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    13. Judit Vall Castelló & Charisse Tubianosa, 2020. "Linking Mediterranean Diet and Lifestyle with Cardio Metabolic Disease and Depressive Symptoms: A Study on the Elderly in Europe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-16, September.
    14. Rigal, Natalie & Champel, Camille & Hébel, Pascale & Lahlou, Saadi, 2019. "Food portion at ages 8–11 and obesogeny: The amount of food given to children varies with the mother's education and the child's appetite arousal," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 228(C), pages 111-116.
    15. Costa-Font, Joan & Jofre-Bonet, Mireia, 2020. "Is the intergenerational transmission of overweight ‘gender assortative’?," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    16. Mark E. Benden & Hongwei Zhao & Christina E. Jeffrey & Monica L. Wendel & Jamilia J. Blake, 2014. "The Evaluation of the Impact of a Stand-Biased Desk on Energy Expenditure and Physical Activity for Elementary School Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-15, September.
    17. Briody, Jonathan, 2021. "Parental unemployment during the Great Recession and childhood adiposity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).

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