Health Economics Letters

Does a slump really make you thinner? Finnish micro-level evidence 1978–2002

  1. Petri Böckerman1,*,
  2. Edvard Johansson2,
  3. Satu Helakorpi3,
  4. Ritva Prättälä3,
  5. Erkki Vartiainen3,
  6. Antti Uutela3

Article first published online: 23 AUG 2006

DOI: 10.1002/hec.1156

Issue

Health Economics

Health Economics

Volume 16, Issue 1, pages 103–107, January 2007

Additional Information

How to Cite

Böckerman, P., Johansson, E., Helakorpi, S., Prättälä, R., Vartiainen, E. and Uutela, A. (2007), Does a slump really make you thinner? Finnish micro-level evidence 1978–2002. Health Economics, 16: 103–107. doi: 10.1002/hec.1156

Author Information

  1. 1

    Labour Institute for Economic Research, Helsinki, Finland

  2. 2

    The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy, Helsinki, Finland

  3. 3

    National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland

*Labour Institute for Economic Research, Pitkänsillanranta 3A, 6. krs. FIN-00530 Helsinki, Finland

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 19 DEC 2006
  2. Article first published online: 23 AUG 2006
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 7 JUN 2006
  4. Manuscript Received: 22 DEC 2004

Funded by

  • European Commission. Grant Number: QLRT-2001-02292

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Keywords:

  • weight;
  • business cycles;
  • health

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between height-adjusted weight and economic conditions in Finland, using individual microdata for the period 1978–2002. If anything, the results reveal that an improvement in regional economic conditions measured by the employment rate produces a decrease in BMI, other things being equal. The Finnish evidence presented does not support the conclusions reported for the USA, according to which temporary economic slowdowns are good for health. In contrast, at least BMI seems to increase during slumps. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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