This file is part of IDEAS, which uses RePEc data


[ Papers | Articles | Software | Books | Chapters | Authors | Institutions | JEL Classification | NEP reports | Search | New papers by email | Author registration | Rankings | Volunteers | FAQ | Blog | Help! ]

Modeling Alternative Motives for Dieting

Author info | Abstract | Publisher info | Download info | Related research | Statistics
Author Info
Robert Goldfarb () (George Washington University)
Thomas C. Leonard (Princeton University)
Steven Suranovic (George Washington University)

Additional information is available for the following registered author(s):

Abstract

Why do people diet? The proximate cause of dieting is a desire to lose weight, but, because there are different ways by which a person becomes heavier than he wants to be, the ultimate causes of the choice to diet vary. Using a simple, graphical model grounded in the physiology of weight determination, we explore some theoretical and empirical implications of dieting’s different causes. The model determines desired weight, generates propositions about "optimal overweightedness," and shows how different causes of dieting can be usefully analyzed.

Download Info
To download:

If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. Information about this may be contained in the File-Format links below. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.

File URL: http://college.holycross.edu/eej/Volume32/V32N1P115_131.pdf
File Format: application/pdf
File Function:
Download Restriction: no

Publisher Info
Article provided by Eastern Economic Association in its journal Eastern Economic Journal.

Volume (Year): 32 (2006)
Issue (Month): 1 (Winter)
Pages: 115-131
Download reference. The following formats are available: HTML (with abstract), plain text (with abstract), BibTeX, RIS (EndNote, RefMan, ProCite), ReDIF
Handle: RePEc:eej:eeconj:v:32:y:2006:i:1:p:115-131

Contact details of provider:
Postal: c/o Iona College, 715 North Avenue, New Rochelle, New York 10801-1890 USA
Phone: (914) 633-2088
Fax: (914) 633-2549
Email:
Web page: http://www.iona.edu/eea/
More information through EDIRC

Order Information:
Postal: Dr. Mary H. Lesser, Department of Economics, Iona College, New Rochelle, NY 10801-1890
Email:
Web: http://www.iona.edu/eea/publications/subandmem.htm

For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its listing, contact: (Victor Matheson, College of the Holy Cross).

Related research
Keywords:

Other versions of this item:

References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Dockner, Engelbert J & Feichtinger, Gustav, 1993. "Cyclical Consumption Patterns and Rational Addiction," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 83(1), pages 256-63, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Orphanides, Athanasios & Zervos, David, 1995. "Rational Addiction with Learning and Regret," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 103(4), pages 739-58, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  3. Shin-Yi Chou & Michael Grossman & Henry Saffer, 2002. "An Economic Analysis of Adult Obesity: Results from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System," NBER Working Papers 9247, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  4. Darius Lakdawalla & Tomas Philipson, 2002. "The Growth of Obesity and Technological Change: A Theoretical and Empirical Examination," NBER Working Papers 8946, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  5. Trenton Smith, 2002. "Obesity and Nature's Thumbprint: How Modern Waistlines Can Inform Economic Theory," University of California at Santa Barbara, Economics Working Paper Series 18-02, Department of Economics, UC Santa Barbara. [Downloadable!]
  6. Thaler, Richard H & Shefrin, H M, 1981. "An Economic Theory of Self-Control," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 89(2), pages 392-406, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  7. John Cawley & Sara Markowitz & John Tauras, 2003. "Lighting Up and Slimming Down: The Effects of Body Weight and Cigarette Prices on Adolescent Smoking Initiation," NBER Working Papers 9561, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  8. Levy, Amnon, 2002. "Rational eating: can it lead to overweightness or underweightness?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(5), pages 887-899, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. David George, 1998. "Coping Rationally with Unpreferred Preferences," Eastern Economic Journal, Eastern Economic Association, vol. 24(2), pages 181-194, Spring. [Downloadable!]
Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Robert S. Goldfarb & Thomas C. Leonard & Sara Markowitz & Steven Suranovic, 2009. "Can A Rational Choice Framework Make Sense of Anorexia Nervosa?," NBER Working Papers 14838, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Statistics
Access and download statistics

Did you know? Use the JEL tree to browse through the database by subfields.

This page was last updated on 2009-11-18.

This information is provided to you by IDEAS at the Department of Economics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut using RePEc data on a server sponsored by the Society for Economic Dynamics.