Working Paper: NBER ID: w15720
Authors: Yang Lu; Dana Goldman
Abstract: This paper explores the effects of relative food prices on body weight and body fat over time in China. We study a cohort of 15,000 adults from over 200 communities in China, using the longitudinal China Health and Nutrition Survey (1991-2006). While we find that decreases in the price of energy-dense foods have consistently led to elevated body fat, this price effect does not always hold for body weight. These findings suggest that changes in food consumption patterns induced by varying food prices can increase percentage body fat to risky levels even without substantial weight gain. In addition, food prices and subsidies could be used to encourage healthier food consumption patterns and to curb obesity.
Keywords: obesity; food prices; China; body weight; body fat
JEL Codes: D01; I1; J88
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| decrease in the price of energy-dense foods (Q41) | shift in consumption patterns towards higher oil use (F62) |
| shift in consumption patterns towards higher oil use (F62) | increase in calorie intake (D19) |
| decrease in the price of energy-dense foods (Q41) | increase in body fat levels more directly than body weight (I12) |
| relative food prices (P22) | less clear relationship with body weight (BMI) (I12) |
| decrease in the price of energy-dense foods (Q41) | increase in body fat (I14) |
| decrease in the price of staple oil relative to staple food (Q31) | increase in body fat (triceps skinfold thickness) (I14) |
| relative food prices (P22) | significant and persistent effects on body fat levels (I12) |