Department of Economics, College of William & Mary, PO Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795, USA.
Health Econ. 2011 Apr;20(4):417-31. doi: 10.1002/hec.1598.
Several recent studies demonstrate a positive effect of cigarette prices and taxes on obesity among adults, especially those who smoke. If higher cigarette costs affect smokers' weights by increasing calories consumed or increasing food expenditures, then cigarette taxes and prices may also affect obesity in children of smokers. This study examines the link between child body mass index (BMI) and obesity status and cigarette costs using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-79 (NLSY79). Controlling for various child, mother, and household characteristics as well as child-fixed effects, I find that cigarette taxes and prices increase BMI in the children of smoking mothers. Interestingly, and unlike previous research findings for adults, higher cigarette taxes do not increase the likelihood of obesity in children. These findings are consistent with a causal mechanism in which higher cigarette costs reduce smoking and increase food expenditures and consumption in the household.
最近的几项研究表明，香烟价格和税收对成年人，尤其是吸烟者的肥胖有积极影响。如果较高的香烟成本通过增加摄入的卡路里或增加食品支出影响吸烟者的体重，那么香烟税和价格也可能会影响吸烟者子女的肥胖。本研究使用来自全国青年纵向调查-79 年（NLSY79）的数据，考察了儿童体重指数（BMI）和肥胖状况与香烟成本之间的联系。通过控制各种儿童、母亲和家庭特征以及儿童固定效应，我发现香烟税和价格会增加吸烟母亲子女的 BMI。有趣的是，与之前针对成年人的研究结果不同，较高的香烟税并不会增加儿童肥胖的可能性。这些发现与一种因果机制一致，即较高的香烟成本会减少吸烟，并增加家庭的食品支出和消费。
