Income, Prices, Time Use and Nutrition

Individuals from poorer and lower socio-economic households eat a less healthy diet (few fruits and vegetables and whole grains, more processed foods), and have a higher prevalence of obesity and diet-related disease. In order to understand what policy interventions might help to address this this public policy challenge it is useful to understand the relationship between income, food choices and nutrition. Does low income cause poor nutrition? Or does the correlation reflect other factors, such as correlated preference heterogeneity? Do poorer households face different prices or different supply conditions? Is time use important, and how are food choices related to work? In this lecture we will discuss the current state of understanding of these issues, and avenues for further research.