TV exposure and food consumption patterns–evidence from Indonesia

Using cross‐sectional survey data from Indonesia from 2007 and 2014, this study estimates the effect of the number of available television channels during childhood on food consumption later in life with a focus on unhealthy food items. To address endogeneity of television signal strength, I exploit exogenous variations in television signal quality due to random diffractions caused by topography within a small area. Using an instrumental variables approach the results suggest that exposure to television during youth of the household head has a positive effect on household‐level snack and soft drink expenditures. At the individual level I document more frequent consumption of soft drinks. Additional analysis suggests that households shift their consumption basket at the expense of vegetables and staples. Finally, heterogeneous effects analysis imply that results are driven by young individuals who are younger than 24 years old.