Well-being and doctor visits: The mediating role of a healthy diet

Abstract

Subjective well-being is associated with many positive health outcomes. However, little is known about whether these favourable outcomes translate into a reduction in the number of doctor visits. Using large-scale panel data from Australia, we find that individuals with high life satisfaction need fewer visits to their family doctor or general practitioner. We also present evidence on the pathways underlying this relationship, showing it is significantly explained by a person's diet. These findings remain after correcting for sample selection bias using Heckman's approach as well as controlling for various confounding factors.