Abstract
In this paper we examine the effect of dollar stores on children’s Body Mass Index (BMI). We use a dataset compiled by the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement that reflects a BMI screening program for public school children in the state of Arkansas. We combine propensity score matching with difference-in-differences methods to deal with time-invariant as well time-varying unobserved factors. We find no evidence that the presence of dollar stores within a reasonably close proximity of the child’s residence increases BMI. In fact, we see an increase in BMI when dollar stores leave a child’s neighborhood. Given the proliferation of dollar stores in rural and low-income urban areas, the question of whether dollar stores are contributing to high rates of childhood obesity is policy relevant. However, our results provide some evidence that exposure to dollar stores is not a causal factor.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 37 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-13 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | AMB Express |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2015 Dec 1 |
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Keywords
- Childhood obesity
- Difference-in-differences
- Food-at-home
- Propensity score matching
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Health Policy
Cite this
Food environment and childhood obesity : the effect of dollar stores. / Drichoutis, Andreas C.; Nayga, Jr, Rodolfo M.; Rouse, Heather L.; Thomsen, Michael R.
In: AMB Express, Vol. 5, No. 1, 37, 01.12.2015, p. 1-13.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Food environment and childhood obesity
T2 - the effect of dollar stores
AU - Drichoutis, Andreas C.
AU - Nayga, Jr, Rodolfo M.
AU - Rouse, Heather L.
AU - Thomsen, Michael R.
PY - 2015/12/1
Y1 - 2015/12/1
N2 - In this paper we examine the effect of dollar stores on children’s Body Mass Index (BMI). We use a dataset compiled by the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement that reflects a BMI screening program for public school children in the state of Arkansas. We combine propensity score matching with difference-in-differences methods to deal with time-invariant as well time-varying unobserved factors. We find no evidence that the presence of dollar stores within a reasonably close proximity of the child’s residence increases BMI. In fact, we see an increase in BMI when dollar stores leave a child’s neighborhood. Given the proliferation of dollar stores in rural and low-income urban areas, the question of whether dollar stores are contributing to high rates of childhood obesity is policy relevant. However, our results provide some evidence that exposure to dollar stores is not a causal factor.
AB - In this paper we examine the effect of dollar stores on children’s Body Mass Index (BMI). We use a dataset compiled by the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement that reflects a BMI screening program for public school children in the state of Arkansas. We combine propensity score matching with difference-in-differences methods to deal with time-invariant as well time-varying unobserved factors. We find no evidence that the presence of dollar stores within a reasonably close proximity of the child’s residence increases BMI. In fact, we see an increase in BMI when dollar stores leave a child’s neighborhood. Given the proliferation of dollar stores in rural and low-income urban areas, the question of whether dollar stores are contributing to high rates of childhood obesity is policy relevant. However, our results provide some evidence that exposure to dollar stores is not a causal factor.
KW - Childhood obesity
KW - Difference-in-differences
KW - Food-at-home
KW - Propensity score matching
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84971343025&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84971343025&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s13561-015-0074-2
DO - 10.1186/s13561-015-0074-2
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84971343025
VL - 5
SP - 1
EP - 13
JO - AMB Express
JF - AMB Express
SN - 2191-0855
IS - 1
M1 - 37
ER -