Economic Aspects of Obesity
Michael Grossman and Naci Mocan
Abstract
In the past three decades, the number of obese adults in the United States has doubled and the number of obese children almost tripled, which may lead to increased medical expenditures, productivity loss, and stress on the health care system. Economic analysis now shows that weight gain is the result of individual choices in response to economic environments and demonstrates that incentives can influence individual behaviors affecting weight. Determinants are varied and include year- and area-specific food prices, availability of food outlets and recreational facilities, health insurance, and ... More
In the past three decades, the number of obese adults in the United States has doubled and the number of obese children almost tripled, which may lead to increased medical expenditures, productivity loss, and stress on the health care system. Economic analysis now shows that weight gain is the result of individual choices in response to economic environments and demonstrates that incentives can influence individual behaviors affecting weight. Determinants are varied and include year- and area-specific food prices, availability of food outlets and recreational facilities, health insurance, and minimum wage levels. This book aims to provide foundation for evaluating the costs and benefits of various proposals designed to control obesity rates.
Keywords:
obese adults,
obese children,
medical expenditure,
productivity loss,
health care,
food prices,
food outlets,
recreational facilities,
health insurance,
minimum wage levels
Bibliographic Information
| Print publication date: 2011 |
Print ISBN-13: 9780226310091 |
| Published to Chicago Scholarship Online: February 2013 |
DOI:10.7208/chicago/9780226310107.001.0001 |
