The impact of obesity and income on happiness: Evidence from EU countries

The World Happiness Report 2018 ranks 156 countries by their happiness levels, and revealed a link between obesity. Despite the importance of this link, few studies have analyzed relationship. Moreover, it may be case that relationship obesity is nonlinear. income, however, has been studied several researchers, particularly after publication Easterlin (1974). In his famous paradox, found reaching certain level, further increase material wealth no longer promotes happiness. Here, we investigate whether there quadratic & for panel EU period 2005- 2016, using system GMM method. empirical results suggest an inverse U-shaped implying as (income), represented body mass index, increases, first increases then stabilizes finally decreases. Hence, existence inverted income supports validity Kuznets curve hypothesis. Some control variables were also included in regressions order to solve omitted variable bias problems. indicate inequality unemployment significantly negative impact on