Something about being poor makes people fat. Though there are many possible explanations for the income-body weight gradient, we investigate a promising but little-studied hypothesis: that changes in body can—at least part—be explained as an optimal response to economic insecurity. We use data on working-age men from 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79) identify effects various measures insecurity gain. find particular over 12-year period between 1988 and 2000, average man...

Abstract Emerging evidence from neuroscience and clinical research suggests a novel hypothesis about tobacco use: consumers may choose to smoke, in part, as "self-medicating" response the presence of economic insecurity. To test this hypothesis, we examine effect insecurity (roughly, risk catastrophic income loss) on smoking behavior sample male working-age smokers 1979 National Longitudinal Survey Youth (NLSY79). Using instrumental variables control for unobserved heterogeneity, find that...

In this review, we contextualise the articles in special issue, relating them to existing food fraud research, and identify research trends, challenges priorities for near term. We accomplish these aims through a comprehensive review of by scientists, economists, other social legal experts, government groups international trade organisations. Existing is heavily weighted towards science, packaging labelling, areas knowledge discovery. Moving forward, needed pertaining general economic...

Theories of rational addiction posit that certain habit‐forming goods—characterized by an increasing marginal utility consumption—generate predictable dynamic patterns consumer behavior. It has been suggested attendance at sporting events represents example such a good, as evidenced the pricing strategies commercial sports interests. In this essay, we provide new evidence in support for case Major League Baseball but fail to find data from Korean Professional League. We then review...

Many recent studies have provided evidence suggesting that increases in body weight may spread via social networks. The mechanism(s) by which this might occur become the subject of much speculation, but to date little direct has been available. Building on from economics, anthropology, and behavioral biology, within-household peers influence implicit provision income security was hypothesized.Using a sample 2,541 working-age men National Longitudinal Survey Youth (1979), effect cohabitation...

It is often assumed (for analytical convenience, but also in accordance with common intuition) that consumer preferences are convex. In this paper, we consider circumstances under which such (or not) optimal. particular, investigate a setting goods possess some hidden quality known distribution, and the chooses bundle of maximizes probability he receives threshold level quality. We show if small relative to consumption levels, will tend be convex; whereas opposite holds large. Our theory...

Abstract The economic theory of regulatory capture predicts that industry groups will attempt to influence their regulators (for example, by lobbying for rules exclude competition). It has been suggested the same logic applies any powerful institution with ability affect profits. When aim is alter public's perception its product disseminating favorable messages news media or via an advertising campaign, funding industry‐friendly scientific research), end result dubbed deep capture. We...

Something about being poor makes people fat. Though there are many possible explanations for the income-body weight gradient, we investigate a promising but little-studied hypothesis: that economic insecurity acts as an independent cause of gain. We use data on working age men from 1979 National Longitudinal Survey Youth (NLSY79) to identify effect various measures find in particular over 12-year period between 1988 and 2000, one point (0.01) increase probability becoming unemployed causes...

Obesity rates have risen dramatically in the US since 1980s, but well-identified studies struggled to explain magnitude of observed changes. In this paper, we estimate causal impact economic insecurity on obesity rates. Specifically, construct a synthetic panel demographic groups over period 1988 2012 by combining newly developed Economic Security Index (ESI) with data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). According our estimates, increased time explains 50%...