The Effect of Household Technology on Obesity and Weight Gain among Chinese Adults

Chih-Chien Huang, Arizona State University
Scott T. Yabiku, Arizona State University
Jennie J. Kronenfeld, Arizona State University

Household technology encourages sedentary lifestyles resulting in less energy expenditure on low intensity activities which triggers weight gain or obesity. We hypothesize that (1) household technology adoption, independent of exercise and daily calorie consumption, is a cause of obesity and weight gain. (2) Household technology has different impacts on weight gain or obesity by gender due to dissimilar technology related behaviors. Utilize data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey; linear and logistic fixed-effects regression to estimate net effects of adopting household technologies on weight gain and obesity. The results showed that, for females, adopting washing machines and food preparation technologies is associated with increasing BMI. Each motorized vehicle increases the odds of obesity by 29 %. Each food-preparation technology increases the risk of obesity by 17%. For males, household ownership of food-preparation technologies or air conditioners is associated with increasing BMI. There is no significant association between household-technology and obesity in males.