Health and education expansion

•Proportion of 18 year olds in full time education rose from around 17% in 1985 to over 35% in the late 1990s.•The expansion resulted in a rapid increase in education over the whole education distribution.•Education led to a reduced BMI, waist circumference and weight.•However, no effects are found for smoking, drinking or hypertension.

In this paper I exploit a reform that expanded UK post-compulsory education during the 1980s and 1990s to examine the effect of education on health. The expansion resulted in a rapid increase in education over the whole education distribution. I find evidence that education had an effect in reducing body mass index, waist circumference and weight. For other health measures (self-reported general health, long term or limiting illnesses), blood pressure and health behaviours (smoking and drinking) there were small to no improvements. There is suggestive evidence that the mechanisms driving these results are improvements in labour market and social status.