Working Yourself to Death? The Relationship Between Work Hours and Obesity

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: Work hours may affect obesity if reduced leisure time decreases exercise and causes substitution from meals prepared at home to fast food and pre-prepared processed food. Additional work by adults may also impact child weight by reducing parental supervision. I find that a rise in work hours increases one's weight and, to a lesser extent, the weight of one's spouse. Mothers', but not fathers', work hours affect child weight. I also find that a rise in work hours is associated with a decrease in exercise and an increase in purchasing food prepared away from home. My estimates imply that changes in labor force participation account for 6% and 10% of the growth in adult and childhood obesity in recent decades.

Keywords: Work hours; obesity; body weight; employment; labor force (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008-04-10
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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