The fetal origins hypothesis has received considerable empirical support, both within epidemiology and economics. The present study compares the ability of two rival theoretical frameworks in accounting for the kind of path dependence implied by the fetal origins hypothesis. We argue that while...

This paper provides a theoretical foundation for a U-shaped evolution in the retirement age. By assuming no markets for annuities markets in a simple two period overlapping generations model with lifetime uncertainty, we show that increasing life expectancy can explain the observed evolution in...