Response on Obesity and Advertising-BECKER

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.

Comments

[Jack]

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?

[anon]

"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...

[Kristen Beaulieu]

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

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