Obesity and Household Financial Distress

Abstract

Obesity provides a potentially informative signal about individuals' choices and preferences. Using NLSY survey data, we estimate that debt delinquency is 20 percent higher among the obese than the non-obese after controlling for an extensive set of financial and economic credit risk factors. The economic significance of obesity for delinquencies is comparable to that of job displacements. Obesity is particularly informative about delinquencies among those with low credit risk. In terms of channels, we find that the conditional obesity effect is partially mediated through health, but is not attributable to individuals' attitudes, time and risk preferences, or cognitive skills.

Keywords: obesity, default, delinquency, bankruptcy, financial distress, personal finance, household finance, consumer credit

JEL Classification: D12, D14, D91, G00, G19, I19