The Impact of Obesity on Employment Participation and Earnings among Working-Age Women in Canada: Evidence from the NPHS Longitudinal Data
Year: 2014
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: The direct medical care costs attributable to obesity are well-known, but little is known about the indirect costs of obesity. In particular, less is known about the impact of obesity on employment participation and earnings, especially among women in Canada.\nObjectives: The objectives of this study are to examine the association between obesity and employment participation and earnings, if employed, among Canadian women. \nMethods: Data were taken from the last six cycles of the National Population Health Survey from 2000/01-2010/11 longitudinal cohort data from women aged 18-53 years. The association between obesity and labour market participation was analyzed using pooled, random-effects and fixed-effects regression modeling techniques. The association between obesity and earnings (wage and income) was analyzed using pooled, truncated random-effects and truncated fixed-effects regression models.\nResults: Wage rate and annual income were found to be negatively associated with obesity. The negative association persisted between obesity and annual income even after accounting for individual-specific effects in the regression analysis. The effect of obesity on employment participation was not significant once health and lifestyle variables were controlled for.\nConclusions: This longitudinal analysis of Canadian women demonstrated that obesity has a negative effect on earnings and this effect remains statistically significant even after controlling for individual-specific heterogeneity.
Author: Samantha L. Larose
Language: English
Subfield: Economics and Econometrics
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Award: G3572320473
OpenAlex ID: W186660840