This thesis focuses on the measurement and the understanding of inequality of opportunity in health which are inequalities related to factors beyond the individual responsability, such as the individual's social background. We focus on the contribution of health-related behaviors in the construction of these inequalities. Our analysis is based on three topics: (i) the measure of the respective contribution of early-life conditions, education and lifestyles to health inequality ; (ii) the analysis of the intergenerational transmission of health-related behaviors with the example of smoking and health care habits ; (iii) the measure of cross-country differences in inequality of opportunity in health with a European perspective. Empirical analysis are conducted with both prospective data using a British cohort and retrospective data using a French study and a European study. The results emphasize the contribution of early-life conditions and education to health inequality both directly and indirectly through lifestyles.
