The relationship between time preference and body weight

Obesity has increased worldwide and is responsible for several health complications, such as stroke, diabetes, several types of cancer and physiological problems. In the literature, education, age, income and gender are the most studied drivers of obesity. The primary focus of this research is to determine whether body weight is related to time preference using linear regression models, multinomial logit models and logit models. Data from the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) is used. We did not find evidence of a relationship between time preference and body weight using gender, education, age and age squared as control variables. This research builds upon the scarce existing background regarding the association between time preference and body weight. The findings of this thesis can be important for health insurance companies. When we find a positive relationship between time preference and obesity, insurance companies can use the results of this thesis by setting higher premiums for people with high time preference or even prevent people with high time preference to take an insurance. The government may have to intervene, because it may lead to different access to health care between people with high and low time preference.