Just in time for the holidays, the economists Roy Wada and Erdal Tekin have a new NBER working paper they’ve tactfully named “Body Composition and Wages.” It contains bad news for those planning to overindulge. The abstract reads, in part:
Our results indicate that increased body fat is unambiguously associated with decreased wages for both males and females. This result is in contrast to the mixed and sometimes inconsistent results from the previous research using body mass index (BMI). We also find new evidence indicating that a higher level of fat-free body mass is consistently associated with increased hourly wages. We present further evidence that these results are not the artifacts of unobserved heterogeneity.
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This seems like a pretty technical approach to determining the fat/wage ratio. I would expect more of a psychological approach to this fat/wage ratio. I would expect a collective perception of what qualifies as fat to determine the fat/wage ratio.
I would like to see how this stands up if the majority of the decision makers are consider fat themselves. Would someone less fat still have a better fat/wage ratio?
Note to Freakanomics: I enjoy the blog and topics you cover but it is hard to have a good discussion, provide informed comments or understand the full context of the quotes you provide when you include articles from journals which are not free to access and only provide abstracts. Regardless, carry on your economizing
This seems like a pretty technical approach to determining the fat/wage ratio. I would expect more of a psychological approach to this fat/wage ratio. I would expect a collective perception of what qualifies as fat to determine the fat/wage ratio.
I would like to see how this stands up if the majority of the decision makers are consider fat themselves. Would someone less fat still have a better fat/wage ratio?
Note to Freakanomics: I enjoy the blog and topics you cover but it is hard to have a good discussion, provide informed comments or understand the full context of the quotes you provide when you include articles from journals which are not free to access and only provide abstracts. Regardless, carry on your economizing
That does it! I’m moving to one of those South Pacific nations where my double-wide body will cause me to be revered as a god!
And when the beautiful tourists land on MY island, I will get even with their height-weight proportionate bodies by putting them to work in the tropical sun harvesting my vast sugar cane fields. And at unexpected moments, I will blurt out things like, “Bwaaahahahaha!!!”–alll with an island accent.
It’s good to be king!
That does it! I’m moving to one of those South Pacific nations where my double-wide body will cause me to be revered as a god!
And when the beautiful tourists land on MY island, I will get even with their height-weight proportionate bodies by putting them to work in the tropical sun harvesting my vast sugar cane fields. And at unexpected moments, I will blurt out things like, “Bwaaahahahaha!!!”–alll with an island accent.
It’s good to be king!
I’m inclined towards T (post #1) question that this study is similar to appearance studies on wages from the 1970s-1990s. I’d suggest the book by Dale Leathers “Successful Nonverbal Communication: Principles and Applications” which is a summary of appearance research by communication and sociological scholars.
I’m inclined towards T (post #1) question that this study is similar to appearance studies on wages from the 1970s-1990s. I’d suggest the book by Dale Leathers “Successful Nonverbal Communication: Principles and Applications” which is a summary of appearance research by communication and sociological scholars.
The conclusion in this post is in fact backwards from what is really going on. People are not getting higher paying jobs because they are thinner and more beautiful, they are thinner and more beautiful due to having higher paying jobs. The obesity epidemic in this country is in fact a class/income gap/red state blue state problem wrapped into one package. Poorer people in general are more overweight then wealthier people. Fast food/junk food advertisements are specifically aimed at lower income individuals (on top of obviously children). Due to the market distorting farm bill, excess corn is produced. This causes excess corn to be made into corn syrup and allows highly processed foods to be cheaper. Since the poorer you are, the more likely it is you will be more sensitive to the price of food, it should not be too suprising to learn of the poor diet of many lower income americans. Wealthier Americans are more likely to be educated in proper diets, have access to gyms and access to quality medical advice. Lastly, wealthier east coast cities are on avearge fitter and have healthier diets (as well as more presitigious jobs) then the poorer midwest were the obesity issue is most accute. I like your work Mr. Levitt, but in this case your conclusions are all wrong.
The conclusion in this post is in fact backwards from what is really going on. People are not getting higher paying jobs because they are thinner and more beautiful, they are thinner and more beautiful due to having higher paying jobs. The obesity epidemic in this country is in fact a class/income gap/red state blue state problem wrapped into one package. Poorer people in general are more overweight then wealthier people. Fast food/junk food advertisements are specifically aimed at lower income individuals (on top of obviously children). Due to the market distorting farm bill, excess corn is produced. This causes excess corn to be made into corn syrup and allows highly processed foods to be cheaper. Since the poorer you are, the more likely it is you will be more sensitive to the price of food, it should not be too suprising to learn of the poor diet of many lower income americans. Wealthier Americans are more likely to be educated in proper diets, have access to gyms and access to quality medical advice. Lastly, wealthier east coast cities are on avearge fitter and have healthier diets (as well as more presitigious jobs) then the poorer midwest were the obesity issue is most accute. I like your work Mr. Levitt, but in this case your conclusions are all wrong.