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Impact of body mass on job quality

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  • Kim, Tae Hyun
  • Han, Euna

Abstract

The current study explores the association between body mass and job quality, a composite measurement of job characteristics, for adults. We use nationally representative data from the Korean Labor and Income Panel Study for the years 2005, 2007, and 2008 with 7282 person-year observations for men and 4611 for women. A Quality of Work Index (QWI) is calculated based on work content, job security, the possibilities for improvement, compensation, work conditions, and interpersonal relationships at work. The key independent variable is the body mass index (kg/m2) splined at 18.5, 25, and 30. For men, BMI is positively associated with the QWI only in the normal weight segment (+0.19 percentage points at the 10th, +0.28 at the 50th, +0.32 at the 75th, +0.34 at the 90th, and +0.48 at the 95th quantiles). A unit increase in the BMI for women is associated with a lower QWI at the lower quantiles in the normal weight segment (−0.28 at the 5th, −0.19 at the 10th, and −0.25 percentage points at the 25th quantiles) and at the upper quantiles in the overweight segment (−1.15 at the 90th and −1.66 percentage points at the 95th quantiles). The results imply a spill-over cost of overweight or obesity beyond its impact on health in terms of success in the labor market.

Suggested Citation

  • Kim, Tae Hyun & Han, Euna, 2015. "Impact of body mass on job quality," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 17(C), pages 75-85.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ehbiol:v:17:y:2015:i:c:p:75-85
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2015.02.003
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    Cited by:

    1. Pagan, Ricardo & Haro, Carmen Ordóñez de & Sánchez, Carlos Rivas, 2016. "Obesity, job satisfaction and disability at older ages in Europe," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 42-54.
    2. Rosemary Ahn & Tae Hyun Kim & Euna Han, 2019. "The Moderation of Obesity Penalty on Job Market Outcomes by Employment Efforts," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-13, August.
    3. Hyeain Lee & Rosemary Ahn & Tae Hyun Kim & Euna Han, 2019. "Impact of Obesity on Employment and Wages among Young Adults: Observational Study with Panel Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-12, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Job quality; Job market success; Quality of work index; Body mass index; Splines; Quantile regression;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I19 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Other
    • J30 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - General

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