Trent Smith: University of Otago

Why have obesity rates risen sharply around the world since 1980? In biological perspective, humans and other animals are thought to have evolved the ability—and the propensity—to store energy as body fat in order to survive periods of starvation. While food may be more abundant than ever today, it is becoming increasingly clear that neoliberal economic policies have been progressively shifting more and more risk onto households over the period in which body weights have risen most dramatically, and that obesity rates have risen most in countries that have pursued such policies most aggressively. A growing body of research now supports the “economic insecurity hypothesis,” which posits that uncertainty with respect to one’s material well-being may be an important root cause of the modern obesity epidemic. This lecture will review evidence supporting this hypothesis, from both the natural sciences and from econometric studies performed at the level of individuals, of demographic groups, and of countries. Implications for public policy will be discussed.
http://www.business.otago.ac.nz/econ/Personal/ts_files/thumbprint.pdfhttp://www.business.otago.ac.nz/econ/Personal/ts_files/insecurity.pdfhttp://www.business.otago.ac.nz/econ/Personal/ts_files/stressdiet.pdfhttp://econpapers.repec.org/paper/agsaaea13/151419.htm