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The Effects of Farm and Food Policy on Obesity in the United States

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  • © 2017

Overview

Authors:
  1. Julian M. Alston

    1. Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California, Davis, Davis, USA

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  2. Abigail M. Okrent

    1. Food Economics Division, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Washington, USA

    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

  • Covers major U.S. policy initiatives to fight obesity at the source: food production
  • Provides an accessible entry point to often too-technical policy discussions
  • Includes quantitative and technical details in appendixes

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Table of contents (11 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxii
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  2. Introduction

    • Julian M. Alston, Abigail M. Okrent
    Pages 1-12

  3. Obesity in America

    • Julian M. Alston, Abigail M. Okrent
    Pages 13-53

  4. Consequences of Obesity

    • Julian M. Alston, Abigail M. Okrent
    Pages 55-73

  5. Causes of Obesity: Individual Physiology and Consumption Choices

    • Julian M. Alston, Abigail M. Okrent
    Pages 75-103

  6. Causes of Obesity: External Influences

    • Julian M. Alston, Abigail M. Okrent
    Pages 105-134

  7. Role for Government: In Principle

    • Julian M. Alston, Abigail M. Okrent
    Pages 135-157

  8. US Farm Subsidies and Obesity

    • Julian M. Alston, Abigail M. Okrent
    Pages 159-201

  9. Agricultural R&D, Technology, and Obesity

    • Julian M. Alston, Abigail M. Okrent
    Pages 203-235

  10. Fat Taxes and Thin Subsidies as Obesity Policy

    • Julian M. Alston, Abigail M. Okrent
    Pages 237-283

  11. Other Food Policies as Obesity Policy

    • Julian M. Alston, Abigail M. Okrent
    Pages 285-318

  12. Summary and Synthesis

    • Julian M. Alston, Abigail M. Okrent
    Pages 319-331

  13. Back Matter

    Pages 333-393
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Keywords

About this book

This book uses an economic framework to examine the consequences of U.S. farm and food policies for obesity, its social costs, and the implications for government policy. Drawing on evidence from economics, public health, nutrition, and medicine, the authors evaluate past and potential future roles of policies such as farm subsidies, public agricultural R&D, food assistance programs, taxes on particular foods (such as sodas) or nutrients (such as fat), food labeling laws, and advertising controls. The findings are mostly negative—it is generally not economic to use farm and food policies as obesity policy—but some food policies that combine incentives and information have potential to make a worthwhile impact. This book is accessible to advanced undergraduate and graduate students across the sciences and social sciences, as well as to decision-makers in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. 



Winner of the Quality of Research Discovery Award from the Australasian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society. 




Authors and Affiliations

  • Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California, Davis, Davis, USA

    Julian M. Alston

  • Food Economics Division, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Washington, USA

    Abigail M. Okrent

About the authors

Julian M. Alston is Distinguished Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of California, Davis, USA, where he studies and teaches about government policy affecting agriculture and food, including the economics of agricultural innovation, food and nutrition policy, and the global challenges of poverty, malnutrition, and obesity.

Abigail M. Okrent is Research Economist at the United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, where she researches the role of food policies and economic determinants of demand in food choices and diet quality.

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