The Relation between Adolescents’ Weight and Peer Effects in the Classroom Setting: An Empirical Analysis

Abstract

Since the beginning of the 21st century, obesity among adolescents has become an increasingly serious issue in China. It impedes the development of human capital of the individual, as well as threatening socioeconomic development by inducing exorbitant health expenditure. Among the many factors contributing to this issue is the school environment, particularly the classroom setting, and the basic building block of school education. This article is an investigation of the relationship between adolescents’ weight and peer effects in the classroom setting, based on relevant data from the China Education Panel Survey.