Front Cover

Nutrition Economics

Copyright Page

Dedication

Contents

Preface

A. Introduction

1 Why Study the Economics of Nutrition?

Organization of the Book Chapters

2 Global Nutritional Challenges and Targets: A Development and Policy Perspective

Global Nutrition Challenges

Calorie-Deficient Diet

Micronutrient Deficiencies

Stunting

Wasting

Overweight and Obesity

Exclusive Breast Feeding

Lower Birth Weight

Malnutrition From a Development and Policy Perspective

How can the Global Community Organize to Achieve the Global Nutrition Goals?

Global Nutrition Goals for 2025

What Have We Learned and How Do We Move Forward?

Increasing Investments in Nutrition

The Role of Continued Documentation of Evidence

Increasing the Commitment to Nutrition

Monitoring and Tracking Nutrition Progress

Investing in Open Data Systems

Recent Global Initiatives

Policy Process and Best Practices

Local Ownership and Leadership

The Role of Civil Society

Multisectoral Approach

Emerging Challenges

Research Gaps

Conclusions

Exercises

3 A Conceptual Framework for Investing in Nutrition: Issues, Challenges, and Analytical Approaches

Problems of Poverty, Hunger, and Malnutrition

Causes of Malnutrition: A Conceptual Framework

Rationale for Investing in Nutrition

Nutrition and Other Development Objectives

Nutrition Challenges and Their Economic Policy Analysis

Conclusions

Exercises

B. Economic Analysis of Nutrition

4 Microeconomic Nutrition Policy

Introduction

The Household as the Decision-Making Unit

Household Equilibrium and Demand for Nutrients

Basic Concepts of Demand for Food

Income Elasticity of Demand

Derivation of Engel Curves From Income Consumption Lines

Deriving the Household Demand Curve for a Fiber-Rich Diet

Income and Substitution Effects

Demand for Nonfood Factors for Optimal Nutrition

Production of Nutrition With Food and Nonfood Inputs

Dynamics of Nutrition Choices

Cultural Factors Affecting Food Consumption and Nutrition

Conclusions

Exercises

5 Macroeconomic Aspects of Nutrition Policy

Introduction

Conceptual Framework

Nutritional Impact of Macroeconomic Shocks and Policies

Elements of Macroeconomic Policy and Their Implications1

How Do Macroeconomic Adjustment Policies Affect Nutritional Outcomes?

Analytical Methods for Studying the Impact of Macroeconomic Policies on Nutrition

Partial Equilibrium Analysis

General Equilibrium Modeling

A social accounting matrix (SAM) as an accounting system: a conceptual framework

Poverty Analysis Macroeconomics Simulator

Linking the macroeconomic framework to nutrition and poverty

Macro–Meso–Micro Policy Linkages in the Context of Nutrition

Conclusion

Exercises

C. Economics of Nutrient Demand

6 Consumer Theory and Estimation of Demand for Food

Derivation of Consumer Demand Functions

Block Additivity

Direct Additivity

Testing for Separability

Aggregating Consumer Demand for Policy Analysis

Duality, Indirect Utility, and Cost Minimization

Cost Minimization and Hicksian Demand Functions

Introduction to Empirical Demand Systems

Linear Expenditure System (LES)

Indirect Addilog Model (IAD)

Rotterdam Model

Transcendental Logarithmic Demand System

Generalized Addilog Demand System

Almost Ideal Demand System

Food Demand Studies in Developing and Developed Countries

Empirical Implementation in STATA

Calculating Elasticities

Conclusions

Exercises

7 Demand for Nutrients and Policy Implications

Introduction

Studies on Nutrient Demand

Recent Studies From Asia

The United States

Estimation of Nutrition Elasticities

Food Price−Nutrient Elasticities

Nutrient Expenditure (Income) Elasticities

A Note on Limitations in Deriving Nutrition Elasticities

Can Subsidies Improve Nutrition?

Implementation in STATA

Example 1: The Effect of a Subsidy

Example 2: Based on Jensen-Miller (2011)

Example 3: Based on Kaushal and Muchomba (2015)

Example 4: Based on Chang et al. (2015)

Conclusions

Exercises

D. Determinants of Nutritional Status and Causal Analysis

8 Socio Economic Determinants of Nutrition: Application of Quantile Regression

Introduction

Safe Water, Sanitation, Mothers’ Education, Children’s Diets, and Nutrition

Are Nutritional Outcomes Age-Specific?

Double Burden and Socio Economic Determinants in Indonesian Households

Policy Issues for Reducing Under-Nutrition: An Example

Generating Analytical Results for Policy Discussions

Quantile Estimation Using STATA

Conclusions

Exercises

9 Intra-Household Allocation and Gender Bias in Nutrition: Application of Heckman Two-Step Procedure

Introduction

Economics of Intra-Household Behavior

Models of Intra-Household Decision-Making

Are Girls Eating More? A Review of Selected Studies

Policy Applications of Studies on Intra-Household Resource Allocation

Generating Analytical Results

Implementation in STATA

Conclusions

Exercises

10 Economics of Child Care, Water, Sanitation, Hygiene, and Health: The Application of the Blinder–Oaxaca Decomposition Method

Introduction

Conceptual Approach

What Do We Know: Policy Lessons?

Child Malnutrition and Rights to Water and Sanitation

The Asian Enigma

Child Care, Fertility, and Malnutrition

Health Care and Nutrition

EcoHealth Approaches: Maharashtra, India, Cameroon, and Lebanon

Panagaria–Gillespie Debates and Policy Considerations

Analytical Methods

Implementation in STATA

Conclusions

Exercises

E. Program Evaluation and Analysis of Nutrition Policies

11 Methods of Program Evaluation: An Analytical Review and Implementation Strategies

Introduction

Analytical Methods

Randomization

Implementation in STATA: Test Scores and Free Lunch

Instrumental Variables Estimator

Implementation in STATA: IV Estimation, Test Scores, and Free Lunch

The Difference-in-Difference Estimator

Example: Test Scores and Free Lunch

Implementation in STATA

Regression Discontinuity Design

Propensity Score Matching and Pipeline Comparisons

Implementation in STATA

Example

The Deaton–Imbens Debate

Conclusions

Exercises

12 Nutritional Implications of Social Protection: Application of Panel Data Method

Placing Social Protection Programs in a Larger Development Context

A Conceptual Framework for Evaluating Social Protection Programs for Nutritional Outcomes

Designing and Implementing Social Protection: What Is the Best Approach?

What Does the Current Literature Show?

Safety Net in Ethiopia: Policy Lessons

Brazil’s Bolsa Familia: Cash Transfers Are Not Enough

Nutria-Cookies, Child Labor, and Safety Net Programs in India

Bangladesh Social Protection With a Behavioral Change Component

Safety Nets and Nutrition in India

The Great Recession and the Social Safety Net in the United States

Analytical Methods

Empirical Example in STATA

Conclusions

Exercises

13 Economics of School Nutrition: An Application of Regression Discontinuity

Introduction

What Do We Know From Existing Literature?

Lessons From the Evaluations of the International Agencies

How Many Kids Are Fed in Schools?

The Bottom Line

The Importance of School Feeding Programs

The Challenges With School Feeding Programs

School Feeding Programs in the United States

Do School Breakfast Programs Work?

School Feeding Programs Global Evolution

Analytical Results: Application of Regression Discontinuity

Implementation in STATA

Conclusions

Exercises

F. Economics of Triple Burden: under-nutrition, over-nutrition, micronutrient deficiencies

14 Economic Analysis of Obesity and Impact on Quality of Life: Application of NonParametric Methods

Introduction

The Economic Effects of Obesity on Human Capital

Health Costs of Obesity

Causes of Obesity in America

How Safe Are the Safety Nets in the United States?

Income Effects and Childhood Obesity

Obesity in Suburbia

Urban Sprawl, Remoteness, and the Built Environment

Can Higher Gas Prices Reduce Obesity?

Urban Sprawl and the Walmart Effect

The Built Environment: Obesity, Parks, and Recreation

The Built Environment: Junk Foods, Vending Machines, Video Games, and Grades

Food Deserts

Fast-Food and Obesity

Policy Challenges: Will Fat-Taxes or Soda-Taxes Work?

Peer Effects, Social Networks, Dating, and Obesity

Obesity in Other Developed Countries

Canada

Obesity in the OECD

Obesity in Latin America: Colombia, Brazil, Guatemala, and Mexico

Other Obese Groups

Policy: Should We Worry About Obesity?

Does Public Opinion Sway Policy?

Policy Angle From Behavioral Economics

The Moral Hazard Problem and Policy Headaches

Can Nutrition Labeling, Packaging, Advertising, Law, and Education Help?

Public Policy Angle 1: Food Advertisement and Promotion

Policy Angle 2: USDA Dietary Guidelines

Policy Angle 3: Will Soda-Taxes Work?

Policy Angle 4: Family Issues and Mother’s Role

Policy Angle 5: Early Screening, Maternal Role, and Breast Feeding

Nonparametric Regression in STATA: Testing Obesity and Food Insecurity

Conclusions

Exercises

G. Special topics in Nutrition Policy

15 Agriculture, Nutrition, Health: How to Bring Multiple Sectors to Work on Nutritional Goals

Introduction

Conceptual Framework

Dietary Diversity

Bio-Fortification

Nutrition Value Chains

Connecting the Sectors Through Multi-Sector Programming

Conclusions

Exercises

16 Designing a Decentralized Food System to Meet Nutrition Needs: An Optimization Approach

A Practical Tool for Designing Decentralized Food Nutrition Interventions

Application of the Model to the Food System in Malawi

The Optimization Procedure

Conclusions

Exercises

H. Conclusion

17 Future Directions for Nutrition Policy Making and Implementation

References

Index

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