Body Mass and Income: Gender and Occupational Differences.

Ping Li,Qi Yao,Xiaozhou Chen

doi:10.3390/ijerph18189599

Abstract

This paper aims to examine the influence of body shape on income, which varies with gender and occupational structure in China. The data were obtained from the CGSS (Chinese General Social Survey) 2010–2017 Survey. The overall finding in this paper is that women and men face different body shape–income effects. For females, the obesity penalty is significant and is reinforced with increasing occupational rank. For men, the thinness penalty (or weight premium) is enhanced as the occupational class decreases. Body shape–income gaps are mainly caused by the occupational structure. Twenty-nine percent of the income gap between overweight and average weight women can be explained by the obesity penalty, 37% of the income gap between overweight and average weight men can be interpreted by the weight premium, and 11% of the gap between underweight and normal weight men can be explained by the thinness penalty. The findings also suggest that the effect of body shape on income consists of two pathways: body shape affects health capital and socialization, and therefore income. Healthy lifestyles and scientific employment concepts should be promoted, and measures to close the gender gap should be implemented.

Highlights

The labor market feedback on body shape is embodied in the income gap premium and penalty of body shape
This paper argues through extensive empirical analysis that (1) women’s body mass index (BMI) negatively effects income and that the negative effect is reinforced as occupational rank increases
The obesity penalty is more pronounced in occupations with high ISEI; (2) men’s BMI positively effects income, and low weight is detrimental to higher income, that is, the thinness penalty

Summary

Introduction

According to the WHO (World Health Organization), the worldwide prevalence of obesity, defined by BMI (Body Mass Index) of over 30 kg/m2 , nearly tripled since 1975, and 39% of adults aged 18 years and older were overweight or obese in 2016 Available: https://www.who.int/newsroom/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight (accessed on 9 June 2021)). Body shape is the dominant factor that influences others’ first impressions of individuals. The labor market feedback on body shape is embodied in the income gap premium and penalty of body shape. There is mounting evidence that higher rates of obesity reduce labor market attachment, worker productivity, and earnings [1,2,3,4,5]

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