Zhang Lei, Rashad Inas
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
J Biosoc Sci. 2008 Jan;40(1):97-113. doi: 10.1017/S0021932007002039. Epub 2007 May 22.
Much focus has been placed on the obesity epidemic due to its high prevalence and the costs it imposes on society. Using 2004 data from the Roper Center, complemented with 2003 data from the Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System, this study analyses the possible effect that time preference has on health in the United States, as measured by the body mass index. After controlling for a variety of covariates and correcting for potential selectivity, some evidence of a positive association between time preference for the present and the body mass index can be found, particularly for males. Research in this area has policy implications in terms of creating incentives for those who lack self-control through the use of pre-commitment devices. Measures addressing self-control issues may be more effective in reducing the rising obesity rates across the world.
由于肥胖症的高患病率及其给社会带来的成本，人们对肥胖症流行给予了很多关注。本研究使用罗珀中心2004年的数据，并辅以行为风险因素监测系统2003年的数据，分析了时间偏好对美国健康状况（以体重指数衡量）可能产生的影响。在控制了各种协变量并校正潜在的选择性之后，可以发现一些证据表明当前时间偏好与体重指数之间存在正相关，尤其是在男性中。该领域的研究在通过使用预先承诺机制为缺乏自控力的人创造激励措施方面具有政策意义。解决自控问题的措施可能在降低全球不断上升的肥胖率方面更有效。
