How Are Unemployed Individuals with Obesity Affected by an Economic Crisis?

Manel Antelo,Francisco Reyes-Santias,Juan C Reboredo,Pilar Magdalena

doi:10.3390/su12062262

Manel Antelo, Francisco Reyes-Santias + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/su12062262

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Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to measure the extent to which the advent of an economic crisis affects the magnitude of the impact of unemployment on obesity prevalence (IUOP). Methods: Using data corresponding to a boom period and a bust period of the Spanish economy, we calculated the IUOP in the Spanish population aged 16–65 years using propensity score matching, and using the difference-in-differences approach, analyzed to what extent the advent of an economic crisis affected the magnitude of such an IUOP. Results: The results point to significant differences in the body mass index (BMI) values of Spanish unemployed individuals depending on the phase of the economic cycle. Compared to a period of economic boom, a bust period increases the (log) BMI values of unemployed people by 0.22% and the (log) BMI of long-term unemployed people by a further 0.011%. Conclusions: The design of health policies for the treatment and prevention of adult obesity should be tailored to the phase of the economic cycle and focus especially on the long-term unemployed individuals.

Highlights

That labor market status, and involuntary job loss, have an impact on obesity prevalence in affected individuals has been widely documented [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8]
If unemployment is a major determinant of body mass index (BMI), an analysis of the impact of unemployment on obesity prevalence (IUOP) in boom and bust periods would be useful, given that: (a) Adult obesity prevalence in Spain is among the highest in the developed world and is growing to 14.5% in 2011–2012—a bust period); and (b) the global economic crisis unleashed in 2008 affected the Spanish economy, which saw unemployment rates rocket
Our findings show that IUOP magnitude differs during boom and bust periods; while the IUOP is not significant in a boom period, an economic crisis increases obesity levels in individuals who were unemployed during the boom period and especially in those who belong to two unemployment duration categories: Long-term unemployed individuals and recently unemployed individuals

Summary

Introduction

Involuntary job loss, have an impact on obesity prevalence in affected individuals has been widely documented [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8]. Our target population to carry out this research was active Spanish adults, defined as employed or unemployed individuals aged 16–65 years. We used propensity score matching (PSM) techniques to analyze the impact of unemployment on BMI, and difference-in-differences (DiD) techniques to examine whether the economic crisis reinforced or dampened the magnitude of the IUOP. Both models were applied to all unemployed individuals in our sample and to sub-samples reflecting certain unemployment duration categories. The prevalence rate of 17% for Spaniards aged 18 years and older are already unacceptably high [12]—having increased steadily from 7.4% three decades ago (Spanish National Health Surveys)

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Results

Conclusion