Weight, reference points, and the onset of eating disorders

Abstract

We investigate whether the development of eating disorders, in the form of purging, is influenced by peers' body size through interpersonal comparisons. Using detailed information on recent cohorts of U.S. teenagers, we document a sizeable and significant negative effect of high school peers' body mass index (BMI) on purging behavior during the adolescence for females, but not for males. Interpersonal comparisons operate through the formation of a distorted self-perception: teenage girls with relatively thin female peers perceive themselves as heavier than they actually are. The girls who are more susceptible to peer influences are those having peers who are thinner, more popular, more (verbally) able, and with more educated parents.

Not only in my genes: The effects of peers’ genotype on obesity

“…We find that the individuals in our sample are more likely to underestimate their weight and less likely to overestimate it when their grade-mates' average BMI PGS is higher (although these effects are statistically significant only at the 10% level of confidence when we consider males and females separately). These results are consistent with Arduini et al (2019), who find that the probability of reporting an upward (downward) distorted body-size perception is negatively (positively) correlated with peers' BMI.…”

“…In line with this,Arduini et al (2019) find that peers' BMI affect the onset of eating disorders for females and that distorted body-size perception is an important mediator of this effect.…”

“…24 See for instance Yakusheva et al (2014); Guryan et al (2009), and Carrell et al (2011). 25 For instance, Arduini et al (2019) have recently used this approach to study the relationship between the BMI of grade-mates and the onset of eating disorders during adolescence. See also Cornelissen et al (2017) for an extension of the Hoxby approach to the workplace context.…”

Measuring household food security through surveys: Do the characteristics of the enumerators matter?

“…Finally, we follow Athey and Imbens (2017) and Arduini et al (2019) to study whether the main determinants of the enumerator effect could have occurred by chance. We use a simulation exercise to calculate the likelihood of obtaining the observed effects by chance by generating randomness in the enumerator-household pairs.…”

Not Only in My Genes: The Effects of Peers' Genotype on Obesity

“…24 See for instanceYakusheva et al (2014);Guryan et al (2009), andCarrell et al (2011).25 For instance,Arduini et al (2019) have recently used this approach to study the relationship between the BMI of grade-mates and the onset of eating disorders during adolescence. See alsoCornelissen et al (2017) for an extension of the Hoxby approach to the workplace context.26 See Cohen-Cole andFletcher (2008) for a deeper discussion of the importance of environmental factors in the obesity epidemic.27 See for instanceHoxby (2000),Lavy and Schlosser (2011),Bifulco et al (2011),Bertoni et al (2017), Rodríguez- Planas et al (2018), and Cools et al (2019.28 See for instanceTrogdon et al (2008),Mora and Gil (2013),Sotoudeh et al (2017),Asirvatham et al (2018),andLim and Meer (2018).…”