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Research on Aging
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Relationship of Body Mass and Net Worth for Retirement-Aged Men and Women

Stephanie J. Fonda

Harvard Medical School, Joslin Diabetes Center StephanieFonda{at}joslin.harvard.edu

Nancy H. Fultz

Kristi Rahrig Jenkins

Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan

Laura M. Wheeler

Brown University Medical School

Linda A. Wray

Pennsylvania State University

This article examines linkages between body weight and socioeconomic status (SES) among Americans at or near retirement age. The authors hypothesize that (a) body weight relates negatively to SES, (b) this relationship is greater for women than men, and (c) the relationship attenuates when health, employment, and marital status are controlled. We use the 1992 Health and Retirement Study for this examination. SES is measured as net worth. Body weight is measured as body mass index and categorized as normal weight, overweight, and obese. Results indicate that, for women, overweight and obesity relate to lower logged networth. This relationship attenuates once covariates are considered. For men, overweight and obesity relate to higher logged net worth, even when covariates are considered. The findings suggest that greater weight has different meanings for men and women in this cohort; it might be related to success for men but a sociocultural detriment for women.

Key Words: body weight • body mass index • SES • wealth • gender

Research on Aging, Vol. 26, No. 1, 153-176 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/0164027503258739
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