Calorie and Nutrient Consumption as a Function of Income: A Cross-Country Analysis

Matthew Salois, Richard Tiffin () and Kelvin Balcombe

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: The relationship between calorie and nutrient (fat, protein, and carbohydrates) intake as a function of income is explored using data for 171 countries over two time periods 1990-1992 and 2003-2005. Three types of analysis are employed: i) nonparametric, ii) panel regressions, and iii) quantile regressions. Engle curves for calories, fat, and protein are approximately linear in logs with carbohydrate intakes exhibiting diminishing elasticities as incomes increase, becoming negative around $US7500 and above. Other nutrient and calorie elasticity estimates are positive statistically significant. Elasticities range from 0.10 to 0.25, with fat having the highest elasticities. The estimated elasticities for the quantile regressions are similar across the 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75 quantiles, but with moderate evidence that countries in the higher quantiles have lower elasticities than those in the lower quantiles. There has been a small but significant shift in the elasticities across the two periods.

Keywords: Calorie and Nutrient Consumption, Food and Nutrition Policies; Income Elasticities; Nonparametric Regression; Panel Data; Quantile Regression. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C11 C14 C21 C23 O10 O11 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010-08-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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