The Impact of Working from Home on Obesity in Australia*

Obesity is one of the most prevalent health challenges in high‐income countries, prompting growing policy interest in identifying its underlying determinants to inform effective interventions. This study contributes to the literature and policy debate by using long‐run Australian panel data and an instrumental variable approach to estimate the causal effect of working from home on obesity. Using household panel data from Australia, we find that working from home increases the likelihood of being obese over time. Mediation analysis indicates that this relationship is primarily driven by reduced physical activity and an increased frequency of meals consumed at home, shedding light on the behavioural mechanisms through which remote work contributes to obesity.