An Analysis of Healthy Food Pricing Incentives and BMI Outcomes for Low-SES Americans, Poster 9

A large body of research exists connecting obesity and poor dietary habits to economic inefficiency. This is particularly the case for low-income individuals. Observing studies from the United States and elsewhere, it is also... [ view full abstract ]

A large body of research exists connecting obesity and poor dietary habits to economic inefficiency. This is particularly the case for low-income individuals. Observing studies from the United States and elsewhere, it is also evident that these individuals tend to be sensitive to price changes when making food purchasing decisions. In other words, the own price elasticities of demand for low-income individuals are high enough that price interventions may be effective means to curb expenditures and improve diet quality. As such, federal nutrition incentives have been rolled out in recent years to subsidize purchases of fruits and vegetables for SNAP beneficiaries. Using Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data from 2013-2016, along with state-by-state data from the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) program, I analyze the effects that different types and numbers of programs have on weight outcomes. This is done through comparisons across states, regarding changes in measures of BMI in response to program implementation.