When asset indices are used in regressions the coefficients obtained are typically difficult to interpret. We show how lower bounds on expenditure effects can be extracted, if the relationship between the assets and expenditure can be calibrated on an auxiliary data set.

We show that body mass increases with economics resources among most South Africans, although not all. Among Black South Africans the relationship is non-decreasing over virtually the entire range of incomes/wealth. Furthermore in this groupd other measures of success (e.g. employment and...