Fat City: Questioning the Relationship between Urban Sprawl and Obesity

Eid, Jean; Overman, Henry G.; Puga, Diego; Turner, Matthew

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Fat City: Questioning the Relationship between Urban Sprawl and Obesity

CEPR Discussion Paper No. DP6191

27 Pages Posted: 20 May 2008

See all articles by Jean Eid

Henry G. Overman

London School of Economics (LSE) - Department of Geography and Environment; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Diego Puga

Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Centre de Recerca en Economia Internacional (CREI)

Matthew Turner

University of Toronto

Date Written: March 2007

Abstract

We study the relationship between urban sprawl and obesity. Using data that tracks individuals over time, we find no evidence that urban sprawl causes obesity. We show that previous findings of a positive relationship most likely reflect a failure to properly control for the fact the individuals who are more likely to be obese choose to live in more sprawling neighbourhoods. Our results indicate that current interest in changing the built environment to counter the rise in obesity is misguided.

Keywords: Obesity, selection effects, urban sprawl

JEL Classification: I12, R14

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Eid, Jean and Overman, Henry G. and Puga, Diego and Turner, Matthew A., Fat City: Questioning the Relationship between Urban Sprawl and Obesity (March 2007). CEPR Discussion Paper No. DP6191, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1134232