The Curse of Plenty: The Green Revolution and the Rise in Chronic Disease

Sheetal Sekhri and Gauri Shastry

American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2024, vol. 16, issue 4, 1-33

Abstract: The rising rate of chronic disease is a leading driver of the global disease burden. Yet, its determinants are not fully understood. Exploiting the Green Revolution and its expansion in historically groundwater-rich Indian districts, we examine the unanticipated contribution of agricultural productivity growth to the rise in chronic, diet-related diseases. We find that areas with greater adoption of new staple varieties saw an increase in diabetes in men born after the introduction of high-yield crops. We find suggestive evidence that diet is an important mechanism, such as heterogeneous impacts with respect to dietary habits and increases in household calorie consumption.

JEL-codes: I12 O13 O15 O31 Q12 Q16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1257/app.20220621

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