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World Health Organization Dietary Norms: A Quantitative Evaluation of Potential Consumption Impacts in the United States, United Kingdom, and France
Author(s) -
Shankar Bhavani,
Srinivasan C. S.,
Irz Xavier
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
applied economic perspectives and policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.4
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 2040-5804
pISSN - 2040-5790
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9353.2007.00397.x
Subject(s) - consumption (sociology) , business , public economics , political science , agricultural economics , economics , sociology , social science
Abstract The member countries of the World Health Organization have endorsed its Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity, and Health. We assess the potential consumption impacts of these norms in the United States, France, and the United Kingdom using a mathematical programming approach. We find that adherence would involve large reductions in the consumption of fats and oils accompanying large rises in the consumption of fruits, vegetables, and cereal. Further, in the United Kingdom and the United States, but not France, sugar intakes would have to shrink considerably. Focusing on sub‐populations within each country, we find that the least educated, not necessarily the poorest, would have to bear the highest burden of adjustment.