The Impact of Education on Obesity of Women in Kenya

Abstract

Having an appropriate understanding between education and obesity/overweight is essential in selecting relevant education-based policies on public health. Existing studies in Kenya only identify the correlation between education level and overweight/obesity, and the nature of the causality is still unclear. This study examines the effect of an additional year at school on the risk of being obese for Kenyan women. I used data from Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) 2008-09 and 2014. The probability of being underweight, overweight, and obese was analyzed by 2SLS using the 1985 Education Reform as an Instrumental Variable to overcome the endogenous problem of education. Indeed, education affects reducing underweight women. However, an additional year of schooling significantly increases women's risk of being obese. Overall, we suppose that higher education leads to an increase in the risk of becoming overweight and obese by increasing purchasing power and by changing the living environment.