中文摘要
本文利用英格兰丰富的调查数据,考察向家长提供其子女体重状况的信息是会减轻儿童体重并改善健康行为,还是会产生不良影响。我们在双重差分框架下,利用调查访谈时点相对于向家长寄送体重报告时点的差异进行识别。我们的分析并未显示对体重或健康行为存在预期效应;相反,我们发现超重儿童受到不良影响,这些影响集中于弱势家庭,并由不吃早餐以及在学校感到疲倦和不快的增多所驱动。
Abstract
Using rich survey data for England, we investigate whether providing parents with information about the weight status of their children reduces children's weight and improves health behaviors, or whether it has adverse effects. We exploit the timing of survey interview compared to the timing of sending out weight reports to parents in a difference-in-differences framework. Our analysis does not reveal the intended effects on body weight or health behaviors. Instead, we find adverse effects for children with overweight that are concentrated in disadvantaged families and driven by increases in breakfast skipping and feeling tired and unhappy at school.