受教育程度对身材的影响--基于中国劳动者的证据

The Effect of Education Level on Body Shape--Based on the Evidence from Chinese Workers

基于2004年、2006年及2015年的中国健康与营养调查(CHNS)数据,选取身体质量指数(BMI)、腰围为身材测度指标,采用固定效应模型研究了受教育程度对劳动者身材的影响,并利用调节效应检验了其内在机制。研究发现:(1)受教育程度对BMI和腰围的回归系数均显著为负,即劳动者受教育程度越高则身材越苗条。(2)初中及以下学历和高中学历的劳动者,受教育程度提高将增加发胖的概率;而大学学历的劳动者,受教育程度提高有助于保持苗条身材。(3)对于女性劳动者,受教育程度越高身材越苗条;对于男性劳动者,受教育程度对身材的影响不显著。(4)劳动者加班时,受教育程度提高会增加发胖的概率;不加班时,受教育程度提高有助于维持苗条身材。(5)在公共部门工作的劳动者,受教育程度提高能够降低发胖概率;在非公共部门工作的劳动者,受教育程度对身材的影响不显著。(6)从事轻体力活动工作的劳动者,受教育程度提高有益于保持苗条身材;从事中度和重体力活动工作的劳动者,受教育程度对身材的影响不显著。(7)经机制检验,职业类型和职位类型会削弱受教育程度对BMI的负向影响;职位类型会削弱受教育程度对腰围的负向影响,“预算约束放松说”理论成立。由此,建议增加基础教育投入,重视高等教育建设;加强劳动力市场管制,完善劳动法律法规;制定肥胖防控相关政策,加大肥胖防控宣传力度。

Based on the China Health and Nutrition Survey(CHNS)data from 2004,2006,and 2015,this paper selected body mass index(BMI)and waist circumference as measures of body size,and used a fixed effects model to study the impact of education level on worker size.The intrinsic mechanism was further examined using regulatory effects.The study found that:(1)The regression coefficients of BMI and waist circumference were significantly negative,indicating that the higher the education level of workers,the slimmer the figure.(2)For workers with a junior high school education or below and a senior high school education,the increase in their education level will increase the probability of gaining weight;For college-degree workers,an increased education helps to stay slim.(3)For female workers,the higher the educational level,the slimmer the figure;For male workers,the effect of education level on body shape was not significant.(4)When workers work overtime,the improvement of education level will increase the probability of weight gain;More education helps you stay slim when working overtime.(5)Workers working in the public sector,with an increased education level,can reduce the probability of obesity;For workers working in the non-public sector,their education had no significant impact on body shape.(6)For workers engaged in light physical activity work,the improved education level is beneficial to maintain a slim figure;for workers working in moderate and heavy physical activity,education has no significant impact on body shape.(7)According to the mechanism test,occupation type and position type will weaken the negative impact of education level on BMI,while job type will weaken the negative impact of education level on waist circumference.Therefore,it is recommended to increase investment in basic education,pay attention to the construction of higher education,strengthen labor market regulation,improve labor laws and regulations,formulate relevant policies on obesity prevention and control,and increase publicity on obesity prevention and control.