Blanchflower, David G., Oswald, Andrew J. and Van Landeghem, Bert (2009) Imitative obesity and relative utility. Journal of the European Economic Association, 7 (2-3). pp. 528-538. doi:10.1162/JEEA.2009.7.2-3.528 ISSN 1542-4766.

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Abstract

If human beings care about their relative weight, a form of imitative obesity can emerge (in which people subconsciously keep up with the weight of the Joneses). Using Eurobarometer data on 29 countries, this paper provides cross-sectional evidence that overweight perceptions and dieting are influenced by a person's relative BMI, and longitudinal evidence from the German Socioeconomic Panel that well-being is influenced by relative BMI. Highly educated people see themselves as fatter-at any given actual weight-than those with low education. These results should be treated cautiously, and fixed-effects estimates are not always well determined, but there are grounds to take seriously the possibility of socially contagious obesity. (JEL: D1, I12, I31)

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Economics
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of the European Economic Association
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
ISSN:	1542-4766
Official Date:	April 2009
Dates:	Date Event April 2009 Published
Volume:	7
Number:	2-3
Number of Pages:	11
Page Range:	pp. 528-538
DOI:	10.1162/JEEA.2009.7.2-3.528
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access

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