Food Labels and Weight Loss: Evidence from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth

Bidisha Mandal

No 6200, 2008 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2008, Orlando, Florida from American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association)

Abstract: This study investigates the role of nutrition and ingredients information, included in the food labels, as useful tools for individuals who are trying to lose weight. This research has three objectives - examine personal characteristics as predictors of willingness to lose weight conditional on individual's current body mass index, investigate whether those who are trying to lose weight are more likely to read food labels to gather nutritional and ingredients information, and, analyze whether those who want to lose weight and read food labels have a greater propensity to lose weight. Estimates from random effects logistic regressions indicate higher usage of food labels by those who are trying to lose weight, irrespective of their current body mass index. There is also greater likelihood of weight loss in the user group. Future research entails use of more sophisticated econometric techniques to control for self-selection and endogeneity.

Keywords: Food; Consumption/Nutrition/Food; Safety (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 26
Date: 2008
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:aaea08:6200

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.6200

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