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Research ArticleArticles
Open Access

The effects of sun intensity during pregnancy and in the first 12 months of life on childhood obesity

Christian Dustmann, Malte Sandner and Uta Schönberg
Published online before print May 09, 2022, 0920-11159R1; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.0920-11159R1
Christian Dustmann
Christian Dustmann is Professor of Economics at University College London and Director at the Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM).
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Malte Sandner
Malte Sandner is Senior Researcher at the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), Nürnberg.
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Uta Schönberg
Malte Sandner is Senior Researcher at the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), Nürnberg.
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Abstract

Obesity not only leads to immense medical costs associated with treating obesity-related illness but is also associated with lower employment prospects and earnings. This study shows that sunshine-induced vitamin D may have a preventive effect on obesity for children. It investigates the relation between sun intensity from pregnancy until infancy on obesity at age six, using population data of more than 600,000 children. Our findings show that the effects of sun intensity on subsequent obesity are concentrated in the first six months of life: 100 hours of additional sunshine over this period reduce overweight by 1.1 percent and severe obesity by 6.2 percent. We offer two main explanations for this pattern. First, infants’ vitamin D levels are particularly sensitive to sunshine in the first six months of life, when lactation is highest. Second, the first six months of life are a sensitive period for later obesity, as this is the period when infants rapidly gain weight and adipose tissue develops.

Keywords:
  • Childhood Obesity
  • Prevention
  • Vitamin D
JEL-Classification:
  • I18
  • I12

This open access article is distributed under the terms of the CC-BY-NC-ND license. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) and is freely available online at: http://jhr.uwpress.org

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Journal of Human Resources: 60 (3)
Journal of Human Resources
Vol. 60, Issue 3
1 May 2025
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The effects of sun intensity during pregnancy and in the first 12 months of life on childhood obesity
Christian Dustmann, Malte Sandner, Uta Schönberg
Journal of Human Resources May 2022, 0920-11159R1; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.0920-11159R1

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The effects of sun intensity during pregnancy and in the first 12 months of life on childhood obesity
Christian Dustmann, Malte Sandner, Uta Schönberg
Journal of Human Resources May 2022, 0920-11159R1; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.0920-11159R1
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Keywords

  • Childhood Obesity
  • Prevention
  • Vitamin D
  • I18
  • I12
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