A1 Journal article (refereed)
Does better education mitigate risky health behavior? : A mendelian randomization study (2022)


Viinikainen, J., Bryson, A., Böckerman, P., Kari, J. T., Lehtimäki, T., Raitakari, O., Viikari, J., & Pehkonen, J. (2022). Does better education mitigate risky health behavior? : A mendelian randomization study. Economics and Human Biology, 46, Article 101134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ehb.2022.101134


JYU authors or editors


Publication details

All authors or editorsViinikainen, Jutta; Bryson, Alex; Böckerman, Petri; Kari, Jaana T.; Lehtimäki, Terho; Raitakari, Olli; Viikari, Jorma; Pehkonen, Jaakko

Journal or seriesEconomics and Human Biology

ISSN1570-677X

eISSN1873-6130

Publication year2022

Publication date23/03/2022

Volume46

Article number101134

PublisherElsevier BV

Publication countryNetherlands

Publication languageEnglish

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.ehb.2022.101134

Publication open accessOpenly available

Publication channel open accessPartially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX)https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/81267


Abstract

Education and risky health behaviors are strongly negatively correlated. Education may affect health behaviors by enabling healthier choices through higher disposable income, increasing information about the harmful effects of risky health behaviors, or altering time preferences. Alternatively, the observed negative correlation may stem from reverse causality or unobserved confounders. Based on the data from the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study linked to register-based information on educational attainment and family background, this paper identifies the causal effect of education on risky health behaviors. To examine causal effects, we used a genetic score as an instrument for years of education. We found that individuals with higher education allocated more attention to healthy habits. In terms of health behaviors, highly educated people were less likely to smoke. Some model specifications also indicated that the highly educated consumed more fruit and vegetables, but the results were imprecise in this regard. No causal effect was found between education and abusive drinking. In brief, inference based on genetic instruments showed that higher education leads to better choices in some but not all dimensions of health behaviors.


Keywordshealth behaviourlifestyle habitsdietssmokingalcohol useeducation and traininglevel of education


Contributing organizations


Ministry reportingYes

Reporting Year2022

JUFO rating1


Last updated on 2024-10-03 at 18:16