Heterogeneous peer effects and gender-based interventions for teenage obesity

Margherita Comola (), Rokhaya Dieye and Bernard Fortin
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Margherita Comola: PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris, PJSE - Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Université Paris-Saclay
Rokhaya Dieye: Laval University, Quebec, Canada, Deloitte - Deloitte

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Abstract: This paper explores the role of gender heterogeneity in the social diffusion of obesity among adolescents and its policy implications. We propose a social interaction model which allows for gender-dependent heterogeneity in peer effects. Our empirical approach is consistent with the best response functions of a non-cooperative model where social interactions stem from the channel of pure spillover or pure conformity. We estimate the model using data on adolescent Body Mass Index and network-based interactions. Our approach allows us to account for network endogeneity. Our results show that peer effects are gender-dependent, and male students are particularly responsive to the weight of their female friends. According to simulations, reaching out to women results in an 8% increase in effectiveness in reducing overall BMI, based on the most conservative scenario. Thus, female-tailored interventions are likely to be more effective than a gender-neutral approach to fighting obesity in schools.

Date: 2025-08
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Published in Journal of Health Economics, 2025, 102, ⟨10.1016/j.jhealeco.2025.103023⟩

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Journal Article: Heterogeneous peer effects and gender-based interventions for teenage obesity (2025)
Working Paper: Heterogeneous peer effects and gender-based interventions for teenage obesity (2025)
Working Paper: Heterogeneous peer effects and gender-based interventions for teenage obesity (2022)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-05158344

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2025.103023

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