Direct and indirect effects of teenage body weight on adult wages
By: Euna Han, Edward C. Norton, Lisa M. Powell.
Contributors: Norton, Edward C.; Powell, Lisa M. 1966-; National Bureau of Economic Research.
Series: NBER working paper series -- working paper 15027; Working paper series (National Bureau of Economic Research : Online) -- working paper no. 15027.
Publisher: National Bureau of Economic Research
Published: 2009
Place of publication: Cambridge, MA
Language: eng
Format: Electronic resource
Description: "Previous estimates on the association between body weight and wages in the literature have been contingent on education and occupation.  This paper examines the direct effect of BMI on wages and the indirect effects operating through education and occupation choice, particularly for late-teen BMI and adult wages.  Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 data, we show that education is the main pathway for the indirect BMI wage penalty.  The total BMI wage penalty is underestimated by 18% for women without including those indirect effects.  Whereas for men there is no statistically significant direct BMI wage penalty, we do observe a small indirect wage penalty through education"--National Bureau of Economic Research web site.
Notes: Title from PDF file as viewed on 6/11/2009.

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