A Behavioral Model of Cyclical Dieting

Steven Suranovic and Robert Goldfarb ()

HEW from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: This paper presents a behavioral economics model with bounded rationality to describe an individual¡¯s food consumption choices that lead to weight gain and dieting. Using a physiological relationship determining calories needed to maintain weight, we simulate the food consumption choices of a representative female over a 30 year period. Results show that a diet will reduce weight only temporarily. Recurrence of weight gain leads to cyclical dieting, which reduces the trend rate of weight increase. Dieting frequency is shown to depend on decision period length, dieting costs, and habit persistence.

Keywords: Dieting; Behavioral economics; Weight cycles (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 40 pages
Date: 2005-11-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-evo and nep-hea
Note: Type of Document - pdf; pages: 40
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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https://econwpa.ub.uni-muenchen.de/econ-wp/hew/papers/0511/0511002.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Chapter: A Behavioral Model of Cyclical Dieting (2006)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wpa:wuwphe:0511002

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