Empirical study on health habits: policy effects, regional variation, and transition process

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K01723
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 07050:Public economics and labor economics-related
• Research Institution: Sophia University (2022-2023); Nagoya University (2020-2021)
• Principal Investigator: Nakamura Sayaka 上智大学, 経済学部, 教授 (20511603)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 子ども / 健康 / 肥満 / 給食 / 食育 / 社会政策

Outline of Final Research Achievements

PI Nakamura and research collaborator Shiko Maruyama co-authored a working paper on the effect of the Japanese school lunch program on junior high students’ body weight, and the paper is currently under review for publication in peer reviewed journal. While no statistically significant effect is found for the full sample, the paper discovers a significant obesity-reducing effect for children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. This effect persists for at least several years after graduation, suggesting that the effect operates not only through nutritional content but also by promoting healthy eating behaviors. Additionally, PI Nakamura is to publish a book column on the gender gap in secular trends in body weight.

Free Research Field

医療経済学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

研究成果の学術的意義は、先行研究では主に海外の選択制かつ主に低所得世帯の子供を補助金の対象とする学校給食の効果を分析しているのに対し、給食のある公立学校ではほぼ全生徒が給食を食べる日本の学校給食を分析することで、効果をより正確に計測し、かつ家庭の経済力による効果の違いを比較できたことである。社会的意義としては、日本の学校給食には低所得世帯の子供に対して肥満抑制効果があり、子供の食習慣や食の好みを望ましい方向に変化させる「食育」効果があるという示唆が得られたことが挙げられる。