Modelling gender differences in the economic and social influences of obesity in Australian young people

Obesity constitutes a global epidemic and has considerable implications for individuals, communities, and economies. Beyond their youth, children and young people who are overweight or obese are likely to experience ill effects as they enter adulthood. Using data from the national panel the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA), this paper examines gender differences in the impact of demographic, economic, social and personality factors on obesity in young Australians. The paper sets up a random parameter logit model which captures gender differences in the conditioning variables and uses a well established test for those potential dissimilarities. The test identifies statistically significant differences in the impact of the covariates almost males and females. This has clear implications for policymakers and practitioners.