This paper aims to identify the causal effect of smoking on body weight using data from the Lung Health Study, a randomized trial of smoking cessation treatments. We find evidence that quitting smoking leads to an average long-run weight gain of around 11-12 pounds, and that the drop in smoking...

This paper explores the relationship between time preferences, economic incentives, and body mass index (BMI). Using data from the 2006 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, we first show that greater impatience increases BMI and the likelihood of obesity even after controlling for demographic,...

The large number of overweight children in the U.S. has led school administrators and researchers to examine how aspects of the school environment affect children's dietary behavior and health. In addition to consuming nutrient rich food and exercising regularly, nutritionists have suggested...