Local labor market fluctuations and health: is there a connection and for whom?

We examine the relationship between local labor market conditions and several measures of health and health behaviors for a sample of working-aged men living in the 58 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. We find evidence of procyclical relationships for weight-related health and mental health for men with low ex ante employment probabilities. Separate estimates suggest worsening labor market conditions lead to weight gains and reduced mental health among African-American men and lower mental health among less-educated males. Among our findings, those related to mental health are most pronounced.