SOE Assistant Professor Angela Daley and Colleagues Study the Effect of Economic Insecurity on Body Mass Index

SOE Assistant Professor Angela Daley and colleagues recently published research on the effect of economic insecurity on body mass in the Journal of Economic Psychology. They studied how the onset of economic insecurity (i.e. job insecurity, joblessness) during the global recession of 2008-2009 affected body mass index. They found that it caused a 2-point increase in body mass index among women with higher levels of education. Economic insecurity also caused a 3-point increase in body mass index among older men and those with lower levels of education. For women and men of average height, this translates to a 12- and 20-pound increase in body weight, respectively. This research adds to the literature on the ‘costs of recessions’. In assessing economic conditions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, this research suggests that policymakers should consider the increased risk of obesity among those who are economically insecure. For more information about this research, click here to access the journal article.