Obesity, unhappiness, and the challenge of affluence:: Theory and evidence

• 成果类型: Book Review
• 署名作者: Oswald, Andrew J.; Powdthavee, Nattavudh
• 署名单位: University of Warwick; University of London
• 刊物名称: ECONOMIC JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0013-0133
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0297.2007.02077_1.x
• 发表日期: 2007
• 页码: F441-F454
• 关键词: body-mass index; psychiatric-disorders; HEALTH; unemployment; happiness; association; DEPRESSION; earnings; stature; britain

摘要

Is affluence a good thing? The book The Challenge of Affluence by Avner Offer (2006) argues that economic prosperity weakens self-control and undermines human well-being. Consistent with a pessimistic view, we show that psychological distress has been rising through time in modern Great Britain. Taking over-eating as an example, our data reveal that half the British population view themselves as overweight, and that happiness and mental health are worse among fatter people in Britain and Germany. Comparisons also matter. We discuss problems of inference and argue that longitudinal data are needed. We suggest a theory of obesity imitation where utility depends on relative weight.