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Have Efforts To Reduce Smoking Really Contributed To The Obesity Epidemic?

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  • JAMES NONNEMAKER
  • ERIC FINKELSTEIN
  • MARK ENGELEN
  • THOMAS HOERGER
  • MATTHEW FARRELLY

Abstract

Two of the most notable trends in public health over the past 30 yr are the reductions in smoking rates and the rapid rise in obesity rates. Several studies have investigated the relationship between these trends but have drawn different conclusions. In this article, we revisit this issue, attempting to clarify the prior discrepant results. Overall, we find no support for the claim that rising cigarette taxes have significantly contributed to rising obesity rates. Instead, we find only a moderately sized effect among former smokers. (JEL I12)

Suggested Citation

  • James Nonnemaker & Eric Finkelstein & Mark Engelen & Thomas Hoerger & Matthew Farrelly, 2009. "Have Efforts To Reduce Smoking Really Contributed To The Obesity Epidemic?," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 47(2), pages 366-376, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecinqu:v:47:y:2009:i:2:p:366-376
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1465-7295.2008.00147.x
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    Cited by:

    1. John Cawley & Stephanie von Hinke Kessler Scholder, 2013. "The Demand for Cigarettes as Derived from the Demand for Weight Control," NBER Working Papers 18805, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. L. Pieroni & L. Salmasi, 2015. "Does Cigarette Smoking Affect Body Weight? Causal Estimates from the Clean Indoor Air Law Discontinuity," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 82(328), pages 671-704, October.
    3. Courtemanche, Charles & Tchernis, Rusty & Ukert, Benjamin, 2018. "The effect of smoking on obesity: Evidence from a randomized trial," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 31-44.
    4. Callison, Kevin & Schiman, Cuiping & Schiman, Jeffrey C., 2021. "Smoking cessation and weight gain: Evidence from China," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    5. Costa-Font, Joan & Salmasi, Luca & Zaccagni, Sarah, 2021. "More Than a Ban on Smoking? Behavioural Spillovers of Smoking Bans in the Workplace," IZA Discussion Papers 14299, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Fang, Hai & Ali, Mir M. & Rizzo, John A., 2009. "Does smoking affect body weight and obesity in China?," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 7(3), pages 334-350, December.
    7. Adrianna Bella & Temesgen Kifle & Kam Ki Tang, 2021. "Smoke gets in your shape: The effects of smoking on body weight in Indonesia," Discussion Papers Series 646, School of Economics, University of Queensland, Australia.
    8. Charles J. Courtemanche & Joshua C. Pinkston & Christopher J. Ruhm & George L. Wehby, 2016. "Can Changing Economic Factors Explain the Rise in Obesity?," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 82(4), pages 1266-1310, April.
    9. Karen Smith Conway & David P. Niles, 2017. "Cigarette Taxes, Smoking—and Exercise?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(8), pages 1019-1036, August.
    10. Jennifer M. Mellor, 2011. "Do cigarette taxes affect children's body mass index? The effect of household environment on health," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 20(4), pages 417-431, April.
    11. Azomahou, Theophile & Soete, Luc & Diene, Bity & Diene, Mbaye, 2012. "Optimal health investment with separable and non-separable preferences," MERIT Working Papers 2012-047, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    12. John Cawley & Davide Dragone & Stephanie Von Hinke Kessler Scholder, 2016. "The Demand for Cigarettes as Derived from the Demand for Weight Loss: A Theoretical and Empirical Investigation," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(1), pages 8-23, January.
    13. Pieroni, Luca & Salmasi, Luca, 2016. "The effect of smoking habit changes on body weight: Evidence from the UK," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 1-13.
    14. Wehby, George L. & Courtemanche, Charles J., 2012. "The heterogeneity of the cigarette price effect on body mass index," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 719-729.
    15. Todeschini, F. & Labeaga, J. & Jiménez-Martín, S., 2010. "Death by lung cancer or by diabetes? The unintended consequences of quitting smoking," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 10/16, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    16. Charles Courtemanche & Garth Heutel & Patrick McAlvanah, 2015. "Impatience, Incentives and Obesity," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 125(582), pages 1-31, February.
    17. Aliaksandr Amialchuk & Kateryna Bornukova & Mir M. Ali, 2012. "Smoking and Obesity Revisited: Evidence from Belarus," BEROC Working Paper Series 19, Belarusian Economic Research and Outreach Center (BEROC).
    18. Thomas A. Garrett & Natalia A. Kolesnikova, 2010. "Local price variation and the tax incidence of state lotteries," Working Papers 2010-035, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
    19. Zhen, Chen & Chen, Yu & Lin, Biing-Hwan & Karns, Shawn & Mancino, Lisa & Ver Ploeg, Michele, 2021. "Do Obese and Nonobese Consumers Respond Differently to Price Changes? Implications of Preference Heterogeneity for Using Food Taxes and Subsidies to Reduce Obesity," MPRA Paper 112697, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. D. Dragone & F. Manaresi & L. Savorelli, 2013. "Tobacco Taxes and Smoking Bans Impact Differently on Obesity and Eating Habits," Working Papers wp878, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    21. P. Johnelle Sparks & Mary Bollinger, 2011. "A Demographic Profile of Obesity in the Adult and Veteran US Populations in 2008," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 30(2), pages 211-233, April.
    22. James E. Prieger & Jonathan Kulick, 2018. "Cigarette Taxes And Illicit Trade In Europe," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 56(3), pages 1706-1723, July.
    23. Pieroni, Luca & Salmasi, Luca, 2012. "Smoking habit changes and body weight: causal estimates from the British Household Panel Survey," MPRA Paper 43465, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    24. Aliaksandr Amialchuk & Kateryna Bornukova & Mir M. Ali, 2018. "Will a Decline in Smoking Increase Body Weights? Evidence from Belarus," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 44(2), pages 190-210, April.
    25. Thomas A. Garrett & Natalia Kolesnikova, 2015. "Local Price Variation and the Income Elasticity of Demand for Lottery Tickets," Public Finance Review, , vol. 43(6), pages 717-738, November.

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    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior

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