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Economic Factors and Body Weight: An Empirical Analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 January 2015

Christiane Schroeter  and
Jayson L. Lusk
Christiane Schroeter
Affiliation:
Agribusiness Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA
Jayson L. Lusk
Affiliation:
Agribusiness Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA
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Abstract

With this study, we investigate the effects of changes in economic factors on body weight by constructing a utility theoretic model. The model is empirically estimated by combining data on individuals' body weight, demographic and physical activity information, and state-level measures pertaining to the prices of food away from home, food at home, and wages. By combining these data sources, we aim to estimate directly the weight effects of price and income changes. The empirical analysis suggests that decreasing the price of food at home could decrease body weight, a finding which has important public policy implications.

Keywords

body mass indexbody weightobesitysubsidytaxD11D12I18H20R22
Type
Invited Paper Sessions
Information
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics , Volume 40 , Issue 2 , August 2008 , pp. 523 - 538
Copyright
Copyright © Southern Agricultural Economics Association 2008

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