‘Globesity’? The effects of globalization on obesity and caloric intake

Abstract

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. This study considers the effects of globalization, in its economic and social dimensions, on obesity and caloric intake. In assessing these effects using longitudinal analysis, this study adopts an extensive list of controls to account for compositional changes and effects, as well as different specifications. The results suggest a robust association between globalization and both obesity and caloric intake. A one standard deviation increase in globalization is associated with a 20 percent increase in obese population and a 4 percent rise in calorie intake. The effect remains statistically significant even with an instrument variable strategy, a lagged structure, and corrections for panel standard errors. The primary driver is social globalization, and specifically the effects of changes in information flows and social proximity. A one standard deviation increase in social globalization increased the percentage of obese population by 14.5 percent and the consumption of calories by 2.8 percent, respectively. Terms of use: Documents inJEL-Code: I180, F690, P460.

Globalisation and national trends in nutrition and health: A grouped fixed‐effects approach to intercountry heterogeneity

“…6 Vogli et al (2014) use data from 128 countries, 1980Goryakin et al (2015) pool Demographic Health Surveys (on women) from 56 countries, 1991-2009; the sample in Miljkovic et al (2015) consists of 79 countries, 1986-2008. In addition, a study by Costa-Font and Mas (2016) uses an instrumental-variable approach (without controlling for country fixed-effects) to examine the link between globalisation and obesity. They find a positive effect of globalisation on obesity.…”

Association of globalization in its different dimensions with overweight and obesity: an analysis in 10 Latin American and Caribbean countries

“…The phenomenon of globalization cannot to be measured unidimensionally because it is a product of multiple interaction factors. Consequently, this study uses the KOF index, 16 which has been used in several previous studies 14,15 and is composed of three dimensions (economic, political and social), which are further disaggregated into 23 subcomponents: the economic dimension comprises international trade (percentage of GDP), foreign direct investment (percentage of GDP), financial investments (percentage of GDP), foreign currency payments (percentage of GDP), hidden import barriers, average tariff rate, taxes on international trade (percentage of current revenues) and capital account restrictions. The political dimension incorporates the number of embassies per country, membership in international organizations, participation in United Nations Security Council missions and the number of international treaties signed.…”

“…Other confounding factors at the individual-level were identified in similar studies and included to control regressions by relevant socioeconomic and demographic characteristics: (1) age (20-29, 30-39, 40-49), (2) type of residence (urban, rural), (3) level of education (no education, primary education, secondary education, higher education), (4) number of children, (5) marital status (married, living together) and (6) occupational status. 14,21 Finally, to control for characteristics at the country-level, the following variables used in previous studies were included: 15 GDP (at constant prices, 2010) as a proxy measure of market size, the human development index and the index of economic freedom.…”

“…Although the association between globalization and overweight/obesity has not been studied extensively, some work has been done. 13,14 However, most research has taken the form of ecological studies that analyze the link between some measure of globalization and a risk factor at the aggregate level. Furthermore, to our knowledge, no previous studies have focused specifi-cally on LAC countries, despite their alarming figures related to overweight and obesity.…”

Género y Cultura de Maíz: en la lucha por definir otra soberanía alimentaria

“…Si bien, se conoce que los hogares rurales e indígenas, cada día más dependen de un ingreso o varios ingresos extra-agrícolas y de ayudas alimentarias para salir adelante, se pone entredicho si las mujeres realmente están defendiendo la Cultura de Maíz, pues con los ingresos están comprando los alimentos que han dejado de producir o complementan los que aún producen, poniendo con ello no solo el riesgo a la salud, sino también a la economía del hogar (Costa-Font, Mas, 2016).…”