Economic analysis of the link between diet quality and health: Evidence from Kosovo

Kushtrim Braha, Andrej Cupak, Jan Pokrivcak, Artan Qineti and Marian Rizov

No 265397, Lincoln Economics and Finance Agecon Working Papers from University of Lincoln, Lincoln International Business School

Abstract: We analyse the link between diet diversity, which is a proxy of diet quality and health outcomes measured by body-mass index (BMI) in a representative sample of Kosovar adults using household expenditure micro-data. Building on a household model of health production we devise a two-stage empirical strategy to estimate the antecedents of diet diversity and its effect on BMI. Economic factors and demographic characteristics play an important role in the choice of balanced diets. Results from the BMI analysis support the hypothesis that diet diversity is associated with optimal BMI. One standard deviation increase in diet diversity leads to 2.3% increase in BMI of the underweight individuals and to 1.5% reduction in BMI of the obese individuals. The findings have important implications for food security policies aiming at enhancing the public health in Kosovo.

Keywords: Agricultural and Food Policy; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; Food Security and Poverty (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 36
Date: 2017-07-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Journal Article: Economic analysis of the link between diet quality and health: Evidence from Kosovo (2017)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:ulefwp:265397

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.265397

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