Time and Risk Preferences of Children Predict Health Behaviors But Not BMI

Abstract

We conduct experiments with 720 children ages 9-11 to evaluate the relationship of time and risk preferences with health. Children who are more patient report consuming fewer unhealthy calories and spending less time on sedentary activities such as video games. Children who are more risk seeking report engaging in more exercise and more screen time. However, time and risk preferences are not predictive of body mass index (BMI). Moreover, some of the negative health behaviors, such as screen time, are associated with lower – rather than higher – BMI.

Note:
Funding Information: This work was supported by the Kenneth and Anne Griffin Foundation and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant number 5R01DK114238.

Declaration of Interests: The authors declare that they don't have financial or non-financial competing interests.

Ethics Approval Statement: This study was approved by The University of Chicago Institutional Review Board. Study number: H10083.

Keywords: risk preferences, Time Preferences, health, Children