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Selection works both ways: BMI and marital formation among young women

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  • Michael Malcolm

    (West Chester University of Pennsylvania)

  • Ilker Kaya

    (American University of Sharjah)

Abstract

The literature on entry into marriages has almost universally regarded a high body mass index (BMI) to be a disadvantage for women in the marriage market. But the theoretical effect of BMI on marital entry is actually uncertain because women who anticipate poor outcomes in the marriage market are more likely to accept early offers, while women with more desirable characteristics can afford to wait for a better match. Using data from the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, we show that female entry into marriage does decline as BMI rises, but that early marriage is nonlinear in BMI. Women with an extremely high BMI or with a BMI in the most attractive range are less likely to marry early.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Malcolm & Ilker Kaya, 2016. "Selection works both ways: BMI and marital formation among young women," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 293-311, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:reveho:v:14:y:2016:i:2:d:10.1007_s11150-014-9247-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s11150-014-9247-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Gettler, Lee T. & Rosenbaum, Stacy & Bechayda, Sonny Agustin & McDade, Thomas W. & Kuzawa, Christopher W., 2024. "Men's physical health and life history transitions in the Philippines: Evidence for ‘marital selection’ but not protective effects of partnering and fatherhood," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 346(C).
    2. Bellido, Héctor & Marcén, Miriam, 2016. "On the relationship between BMI and marital dissolution," MPRA Paper 73868, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Kazuma Sato, 2021. "Relationship between marital status and body mass index in Japan," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 813-841, September.
    4. Oreffice, Sonia, 2014. "Season of Birth and Marital Outcomes," IZA Discussion Papers 8348, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Héctor Bellido & J. Ignacio Giménez-Nadal & José Alberto Molina, 2023. "Body mass index and the distribution of housework among British couples," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 1247-1268, December.
    6. Grossbard, Shoshana & Mukhopadhyay, Sankar, 2017. "Body-Weight and Women's Hours of Work: More Evidence That Marriage Markets Matter," IZA Discussion Papers 10775, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Shoshana Grossbard & Sankar Mukhopadhyay, 2017. "Marriage markets as explanation for why heavier people work more hours," IZA Journal of Labor Economics, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 6(1), pages 1-30, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    BMI; Obesity; Marital formation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure

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