IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/jns/jbstat/v243y2023i6p663-698n8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Weight Loss and Sexual Activity in Adult Obese Individuals: Establishing a Causal Link

Author

Listed:
  • Tauchmann Harald

    (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nürnberg, Germany)

  • Wübker Ansgar

    (RWI – Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Essen, Germany)

Abstract

Obesity may not only be linked to undesirable health outcomes but also to limitations in sexual life. The present paper aims to assess whether there is a causal relationship between weight loss and sexual activity in adult obese individuals. To address the endogeneity of weight loss that is likely to result in biased estimation results, the analysis is based on data from a randomized field experiment. In this experiment, financial weight-loss rewards were offered to a random subgroup of participants and can be used as an exogenous source of weight variation in an instrumental variables approach. Estimation results indicate that for obese males losing weight, both the probability of being involved in a sexual relationship and the frequency of sexual intercourse increases. The same pattern of results is found when pooling both sexes in the sample. Due to the small share of women in the sample, the analysis yields no reliable results specifically for females.

Suggested Citation

  • Tauchmann Harald & Wübker Ansgar, 2023. "Weight Loss and Sexual Activity in Adult Obese Individuals: Establishing a Causal Link," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 243(6), pages 663-698, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:jns:jbstat:v:243:y:2023:i:6:p:663-698:n:8
    DOI: 10.1515/jbnst-2022-0039
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1515/jbnst-2022-0039
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1515/jbnst-2022-0039?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sabia, Joseph J. & Rees, Daniel I., 2008. "The effect of adolescent virginity status on psychological well-being," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 1368-1381, September.
    2. Augurzky, Boris & Bauer, Thomas K. & Reichert, Arndt R. & Schmidt, Christoph M. & Tauchmann, Harald, 2014. "Small Cash Rewards for Big Losers – Experimental Insights Into the Fight Against the Obesity Epidemic," Ruhr Economic Papers 530, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    3. Lee Smith & Igor Grabovac & Lin Yang & Nicola Veronese & Ai Koyanagi & Sarah E. Jackson, 2019. "Participation in Physical Activity is Associated with Sexual Activity in Older English Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-14, February.
    4. Augurzky, Boris & Bauer, Thomas K. & Reichert, Arndt R. & Schmidt, Christoph M. & Tauchmann, Harald, 2018. "Habit formation, obesity, and cash rewards," FAU Discussion Papers in Economics 06/2018, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Institute for Economics.
    5. Horrace, William C. & Oaxaca, Ronald L., 2006. "Results on the bias and inconsistency of ordinary least squares for the linear probability model," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 90(3), pages 321-327, March.
    6. Arndt R. Reichert, 2015. "Obesity, Weight Loss, and Employment Prospects: Evidence from a Randomized Trial," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 50(3), pages 759-810.
    7. Lucas Hafner & Harald Tauchmann & Ansgar Wübker, 2021. "Does moderate weight loss affect subjective health perception in obese individuals? Evidence from field experimental data," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 61(4), pages 2293-2333, October.
    8. Nicolas Ziebarth, 2014. "Assessing the effectiveness of health care cost containment measures: evidence from the market for rehabilitation care," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 41-67, March.
    9. Markus H. Schafer & Sarah A. Mustillo & Kenneth F. Ferraro, 2013. "Age and the Tenses of Life Satisfaction," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 68(4), pages 571-579.
    10. Olsen, Randall J, 1980. "A Least Squares Correction for Selectivity Bias," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 48(7), pages 1815-1820, November.
    11. Augurzky, Boris & Bauer, Thomas K. & Reichert, Arndt R. & Schmidt, Christoph M. & Tauchmann, Harald, 2012. "Does Money Burn Fat? Evidence from a Randomized Experiment," IZA Discussion Papers 6888, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    12. repec:zbw:rwirep:0381 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Cawley, John & Price, Joshua A., 2013. "A case study of a workplace wellness program that offers financial incentives for weight loss," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 794-803.
    14. Ali, Mir M. & Rizzo, John A. & Amialchuk, Aliaksandr & Heiland, Frank, 2014. "Racial differences in the influence of female adolescents’ body size on dating and sex," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 12(C), pages 140-152.
    15. David Roodman, 2011. "Fitting fully observed recursive mixed-process models with cmp," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 11(2), pages 159-206, June.
    16. Joseph J. Sabia & Daniel I. Rees, 2011. "The effect of body weight on adolescent sexual activity," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 20(11), pages 1330-1348, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Lucas Hafner & Harald Tauchmann & Ansgar Wübker, 2021. "Does moderate weight loss affect subjective health perception in obese individuals? Evidence from field experimental data," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 61(4), pages 2293-2333, October.
    2. Eilers Lea & Pilny Adam, 2018. "Data from a Randomized Experiment: Financial Incentives on Weight Loss (RWI-Obesity)," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 238(6), pages 591-600, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lucas Hafner & Harald Tauchmann & Ansgar Wübker, 2021. "Does moderate weight loss affect subjective health perception in obese individuals? Evidence from field experimental data," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 61(4), pages 2293-2333, October.
    2. Eilers Lea & Pilny Adam, 2018. "Data from a Randomized Experiment: Financial Incentives on Weight Loss (RWI-Obesity)," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 238(6), pages 591-600, October.
    3. Paloyo, Alfredo R. & Reichert, Arndt R. & Reuss-Borst, Monika & Tauchmann, Harald, 2015. "Who responds to financial incentives for weight loss? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 44-52.
    4. Beatty, Timothy K.M. & Katare, Bhagyashree, 2018. "Low-cost approaches to increasing gym attendance," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 63-76.
    5. Augurzky, Boris & Bauer, Thomas K. & Reichert, Arndt R. & Schmidt, Christoph M. & Tauchmann, Harald, 2014. "Small Cash Rewards for Big Losers – Experimental Insights Into the Fight Against the Obesity Epidemic," Ruhr Economic Papers 530, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    6. Carrera, Mariana & Royer, Heather & Stehr, Mark & Sydnor, Justin, 2018. "Can financial incentives help people trying to establish new habits? Experimental evidence with new gym members," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 202-214.
    7. Boris Augurzky & Thomas K.Bauer & Arndt R. Reichert & Christoph M. Schmidt & Harald Tauchmann, 2014. "Small Cash Rewards for Big Losers – Experimental Insights Into the Fight Against the Obesity Epidemic," Ruhr Economic Papers 0530, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universität Dortmund, Universität Duisburg-Essen.
    8. Jan Marcus & Thomas Siedler & Nicolas R. Ziebarth, 2022. "The Long-Run Effects of Sports Club Vouchers for Primary School Children," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 14(3), pages 128-165, August.
    9. Augurzky, Boris & Bauer, Thomas K. & Reichert, Arndt R. & Schmidt, Christoph M. & Tauchmann, Harald, 2018. "Habit formation, obesity, and cash rewards," Ruhr Economic Papers 750, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    10. Ali, Mir M. & Rizzo, John A. & Amialchuk, Aliaksandr & Heiland, Frank, 2014. "Racial differences in the influence of female adolescents’ body size on dating and sex," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 12(C), pages 140-152.
    11. Barbieri, Paolo Nicola, 2015. "Body Weight, Dieting and Obesity Traps," MPRA Paper 67671, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Ludwig Kuntz & Stefan Scholtes & Sandra Sülz, 2019. "Separate and Concentrate: Accounting for Patient Complexity in General Hospitals," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(6), pages 2482-2501, June.
    13. repec:zbw:rwirep:0530 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Sugata Bag & Anirban Kar, 2022. "“Made in Heaven, Matched by Parents”: Does Arranged Marriage Restrict Labour Market Autonomy and Participation of Women? Theory and Evidence from India," Working papers 317, Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics.
    15. Teimuraz Gogokhia & George Berulava, 2021. "Business environment reforms, innovation and firm productivity in transition economies," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 11(2), pages 221-245, June.
    16. Simeon Schudy & Verena Utikal, 2015. "Does imperfect data privacy stop people from collecting personal health data?," TWI Research Paper Series 98, Thurgauer Wirtschaftsinstitut, Universität Konstanz.
    17. Hajime Seya & Junyi Zhang & Makoto Chikaraishi & Ying Jiang, 2020. "Decisions on truck parking place and time on expressways: an analysis using digital tachograph data," Transportation, Springer, vol. 47(2), pages 555-583, April.
    18. John A. List & Anya Samek & Terri Zhu, 2022. "Incentives to Eat Healthily: Evidence from a Grocery Store Field Experiment," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 89(354), pages 489-509, April.
    19. Catherine Sofer & Claire Thibout, 2019. "Women’s investment in career and the household division of labour," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(60), pages 6535-6557, December.
    20. Boscow Okumu & Edwin Muchapondwa, 2017. "Determinants of Successful Collective Management of Forest Resources: Evidence from Kenyan Community Forest Associations," Working Papers 698, Economic Research Southern Africa.
    21. David Roodman & James G. MacKinnon & Morten Ørregaard Nielsen & Matthew D. Webb, 2019. "Fast and wild: Bootstrap inference in Stata using boottest," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 19(1), pages 4-60, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    frequency of intercourse; obesity; randomized trial; sexual partnership; weight-loss incentives;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:jns:jbstat:v:243:y:2023:i:6:p:663-698:n:8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.degruyter.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.