The Rise in Obesity across the Atlantic: An Economic Perspective

Giorgio Brunello, Pierre-Carl Michaud and Anna Sanz-de-Galdeano ()
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Anna Sanz-de-Galdeano: Universidad de Alicante

No 3529, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: We provide comparable evidence on the patterns and trends in obesity across the Atlantic and analyse whether there are economic rationales for public intervention to control obesity. We take into account equity issues as well as efficiency considerations, which are organized around three categories of market failures: productive inefficiencies, lack of information or rationality and health insurance externalities. We also calculate the long term financial consequences of current US and European obesity trends, and conclude with a brief review of current policies to reduce and prevent excessive body weight both in Europe and the US.

Keywords: equity; efficiency; health care costs; obesity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D6 I1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 68 pages
Date: 2008-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eec and nep-ltv
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (17)

Published - published in: Economic Policy, 2009, 24 (59), 551-596

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Working Paper: The Rise in Obesity Across the Atlantic: An Economic Perspective (2008)
Working Paper: The Rise in Obesity Across the Atlantic An Economic Perspective (2008)
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