This paper investigates whether information costs under currently regulated nutritional labeling prevent consumers from making healthier food choices. We implement five nutritional shelf label treatments in a market-level experiment. These labels reduce information costs by highlighting and...

Replaced with revised version of paper 07/23/10.

Populations in most developed countries are ageing while fertility is declining. Policy makers and researchers expect this demographic shift to induce major shifts in most Western societies, economies and public policies. Moreover, changing requirements, demands and public health pressures (e.g....

Conventionally, fruits and vegetables have been the major source of micronutrients. However, with the rising availability of nutritional supplements, U.S. consumers no longer need to rely on food alone for their nutritional needs. Time-pressured consumers with limited cooking skills and...

This paper investigates whether information costs under currently regulated nutritional labeling prevent consumers from making healthier food choices. We implement five nutritional shelf label treatmentsin a market-level experiment. These labels reduce information costs by highlighting and...

This study uses a logistic regression to analyze the 2004-2005 Arkansas Center for Health Improvement body mass index data from four school districts in Arkansas. We conclude that the probability of elementary school children being overweight or at risk of being overweight depends on economic...

The doubling of the prevalence of obesity in the U.S. since 1980 has generated tremendous interest in understanding the causes of obesity and its recent rise. We study one important potential cause that has been little investigated: U.S. agriculture policy. We document that, by pursuing policies...

The economic literature has highlighted how in the absence of income insurance risk averse households may voluntarily withdraw from credit markets, since contract terms may transfer too much risk to the household (Boucher, Carter, and Guirkinger, 2007). Therefore, households may forgo activities...