GP supply and obesity

TY - JOUR

T1 - GP supply and obesity

AU - Morris, Stephen

AU - Gravelle, Hugh

PY - 2008/9

Y1 - 2008/9

N2 - We investigate the relationship between area general practitioner (GP) supply and individual body mass index (BMI) in England. Individual level BMI is regressed against area whole time equivalent GPs per 1000 population plus a large number of individual and area level covariates. We use instrumental variables (area house prices and age weighted capitation) to allow for the endogeneity of GP supply. We find that that a 10% increase in GP supply is associated with a mean reduction in BMI of around I kg/m(2) (around 4% of mean BMI). The results Suggest that reduced list sizes per GP can improve the management of obesity. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

AB - We investigate the relationship between area general practitioner (GP) supply and individual body mass index (BMI) in England. Individual level BMI is regressed against area whole time equivalent GPs per 1000 population plus a large number of individual and area level covariates. We use instrumental variables (area house prices and age weighted capitation) to allow for the endogeneity of GP supply. We find that that a 10% increase in GP supply is associated with a mean reduction in BMI of around I kg/m(2) (around 4% of mean BMI). The results Suggest that reduced list sizes per GP can improve the management of obesity. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

KW - obesity

KW - general practitioner supply

KW - primary care

KW - family physician

KW - SELF-RATED HEALTH

KW - PRIMARY-CARE

KW - MANAGEMENT

KW - VARIABLES

KW - WEIGHT

KW - ADVICE

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=50349090803&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2008.02.012

DO - 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2008.02.012

M3 - Article

SN - 0167-6296

VL - 27

SP - 1357

EP - 1367

JO - Journal of health economics

JF - Journal of health economics

IS - 5

ER -