Models of rational addiction suggest that obesity is consistent with time-consistent preferences. Behavioral economists … that discount functions are quasi-hyperbolic in shape, and that obesity and drinking are positively related to the discount … rate. Anti-obesity policy, therefore, would be best directed to informing individuals as to the long-term implications of …

Taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages have been widely proposed to combat the U.S. obesity crisis. Most previous work has …