Many attribute the rise in obesity since the early 1980's to the overconsumption of fast food. A dynamic model of a different-product industry equilibrium shows that a firm with market power will price below marginal cost in a steady-state equilibrium. A spatial hedonic pricing model is used to...

Native American obesity and the associated health conditions are generally thought to result in part from a genetic predisposition to overeating fats and carbohydrates, called the "thrifty gene." Although coined by nutritional scientists, this study maintains the origin of the thrifty gene lies...

Many public programs promote diets rich in fruits and vegetables based on evidence of the derived health benefits. Still, produce consumption in the United States lags behind other nations, even its most culturally similar neighbor--Canada. This study uses a structural latent variable model to...

Widespread obesity in the U.S. is a relatively recent phenomenon, reaching epidemic proportions only in the last 15 years. However, existing research shows that while calorie expenditure through physical activity has not changed appreciably since 1980, calorie consumption has risen dramatically....

Many public programs promote diets rich in fruits and vegetables based on evidence on the derived health benefits. Sill, produce consumption in the U.S. lags behind other nations, even its most culturally similar neighborCanada. This study uses a structural latent variable model to test the role...

Native American obesity and the associated health conditions are generally thought to result in part from a genetic predisposition to overeating fats and carbohydrates, called the "thrifty gene." Although coined by nutritional scientists, this study maintains the origin of the thrifty gene lies...

For nearly two decades, the U.S. beef industry has faced a long term structural change, which has resulted in consumers shifting from beef to chicken. This shift has occurred due to consumer concerns on cholesterol consumption. More recently, this industry has confronted new challenges on the...

This study examines the impact of a healthy dining campaign on consumer's menu choices. Four restaurant chains operating in the greater San Diego area participated in the "Treat Yourself Well" (TYW) campaign. Menu entrees, which contain at least 2 servings of fruits and/or vegetables and less...

Although so-called "Heart Healthy" menu items exist, restaurateurs rarely promote them and consumers seem to avoid them. Still, concerns over obesity and poor nutrition have become priority policy issues. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a social marketing campaign in promoting the sale...

Behavioral economists maintain that addictions such as alcoholism, smoking and over-eating represent examples of present-bias in decision making that is fundamentally irrational. In this article, we develop a model of present bias and apparently hyperbolic discounting that is fully consistent...