Let me comment very briefly, and put forward a controversial additional explanation for the growth in obesity. I do believe that more is spent on advertising of goods than of political candidates, but I do not believe goods advertising is at a lower level than political advertising. Just the opposite in many cases!
Farm subsidies are not the main cause of the decline in the price of fat. These subsidies were generally just as high, if not higher, in the '50s and '60s as during the '80s and '90s. However, the total cost of food declined during the past couple of decades, but it did not before that.
One reasons seldom mentioned as a general factor partly behind the rise in obesity is the expectation that new drugs will greatly reduce the adverse consequences of being obese. I am not claiming that many teenagers are conscious of this consideration. However, any one who has observed the development of blood pressure and cholesterol lowering drugs during the past few decades can rationally believe that in twenty years or so still newer drugs that control diabetes and other diseases will be developed. Then for anyone who likes to eat sugary and fat foods, it does not seem so irrational to do so when the consequences will be much less harmful to health than they are at present.
To be sure, if the government will pay for the use of such drugs, obesity imposes costs on others. So becoming obese may not be socially "rational" or efficient, but there seems to be an important element of individual rationality, given the trend in drug development. That conflict between private and social behavior is worth investigating further, although I have seen very little discussion of it.
I'm surprised you don't mention High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) and Partially Hydrogenated Oils (PHOs) in your entries and follow-ups. Are neither of you aware of these two ingredients? Any discussion on Obesity in America without bringing up HFCS and PHO is shamefully ignorant.
With regard to Advertising to Kids by fast food restaurants: Do you feel that fast-food restaurants provide children with healthy meals? Is it okay to teach a child that a meal should come with a toy? Is it really a good idea for McDonalds to be the primary advertiser on Sesame Street?
Posted by: Jack | 12/19/2005 at 12:55 AM
"I do believe that more is spent on advertising of goods than of political candidates, but I do not believe goods advertising is at a lower level than political advertising. Just the opposite in many cases!"
Interesting sentence. I have had to read this more than several times.
I do not think that most people in the U.S. understand that the cost of fat has dramatically decreased over long periods of time. It did not dawn on me explicitly until this posting. This would be interesting survey research. I also do not think that most U.S. consumers understand that lower fat costs coupled with a downward sloping demand curve will inevitably result in more consumption of fat. Add to this rising real incomes over very long periods of time, and you may have an outward shift in demand for food as well.
So, logically, no wonder we have obesity.
I am going to take a knap and then read a book at Starbucks. I will try to cut back on steamed dairy products in my brew. Ah, the new economy...
Posted by: anon | 12/20/2005 at 01:59 PM
Here's an interesting article on kids and schools, and how school practices seem to be making kids fatter -- it seems to be one case where policy changes could likely make a big difference.
The following appeared on Boston.com:
Headline: DIET: Study links school bake sales, food rewards, with weight problems
Date: December 5, 2005
"Schools that run bake sales and let teachers reward students with candy risk having more overweight pupils, a study in Minneapolis suggests."
____________________________________________________________
To see this recommendation, click on the link below or cut and paste it into a Web browser:
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2005/12/05/diet_study_links_school_bake_sales_food_rewards_with_weight_problems?p1=email_to_a_friend
Best,
Kristen
Posted by: Kristen Beaulieu | 12/21/2005 at 10:30 AM
Good, thank you, wonderful
بنت مكه
Posted by: Anonymous | 06/24/2009 at 12:16 AM
مركز تحميل
Posted by: Anonymous | 06/26/2009 at 10:22 PM
thanks for your post.perhaps you will like ed hardy
Posted by: Anonymous | 06/29/2009 at 03:23 AM
thanks
بنت الزلفي
Posted by: Anonymous | 07/06/2009 at 07:15 PM
Thank you, you always get to all new and used it
شات صوتي
Posted by: Anonymous | 07/10/2009 at 02:22 PM
شات سعودي
Posted by: Anonymous | 07/13/2009 at 03:00 AM
Thank you, you always get to all new and used it
ÿ¥ÿßÿ™
ÿØÿ±ÿØÿ¥ÿ©
Posted by: Anonymous | 07/14/2009 at 11:24 AM
ÿ¥ÿßÿ™ ŸÖÿµÿ±
--
دردشة مصرية
Posted by: Anonymous | 07/14/2009 at 04:57 PM
شات سعودي
00
دردشة سعودي
Posted by: Anonymous | 07/14/2009 at 06:03 PM
ÿØÿ±ÿØÿ¥ÿ©
___
صور
Posted by: Anonymous | 07/17/2009 at 10:33 PM
Could you help me. If one morning I walked on top of the water across the Potomac River, the headline that afternoon would read "President Can't Swim".
I am from Marshall and learning to speak English, tell me right I wrote the following sentence: "How to take your pets to a mexico vacation."
8-) Thanks in advance. Kora.
Posted by: Anonymous | 07/20/2009 at 08:17 PM
Very interesting site. Hope it will always be alive!
Posted by: Anonymous | 07/23/2009 at 05:51 AM
Very interesting site. Hope it will always be alive!
Posted by: Anonymous | 07/24/2009 at 05:05 AM
Great site. Good info.
Posted by: Anonymous | 07/24/2009 at 02:10 PM
دردشة برق
دردشة الخليج
Posted by: Anonymous | 07/29/2009 at 08:13 PM
It is the coolest site, keep so!
Posted by: Anonymous | 07/30/2009 at 08:14 PM
Great site. Keep doing.
Posted by: Anonymous | 08/01/2009 at 06:15 AM
It is the coolest site, keep so!
Posted by: Anonymous | 08/01/2009 at 03:00 PM
thanks to tell me that,i think thats so usefully----
tiffany
links london
Posted by: Anonymous | 08/03/2009 at 02:31 AM
Perfect work!
Posted by: Anonymous | 08/03/2009 at 07:44 AM
Great site. Keep doing.
Posted by: Anonymous | 08/03/2009 at 01:37 PM
Excellent site. It was pleasant to me.
Posted by: Anonymous | 08/03/2009 at 08:50 PM