IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/agecon/v53y2022i6p870-894.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Consumption of healthy and unhealthy foods by the African poor: Evidence from Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda

Author

Listed:
  • Michael Dolislager
  • Lenis Saweda O. Liverpool‐Tasie
  • Nicole M. Mason
  • Thomas Reardon
  • David Tschirley

Abstract

We use national Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) datasets from Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda to examine consumption by the rural and urban poor of “unhealthy foods” (including ultra‐processed foods such as sweets and sugary beverages) versus “healthy foods” beyond starchy staples (such as vegetables, beans, animal products, and fruits). Consumption of processed foods and nonstaples is often associated in policy discussion in Africa with middle‐class urban consumers rather than the poor. We analyzed household food consumption expenditure with Locally Weighted Scatterplot Smoothing (LOWESS) curves and augmented Engel regressions. We found that substantial shares of the consumption expenditure of the poor, both rural and urban, are on healthy and unhealthy foods. We found, surprisingly, that the poor's food consumption patterns do not differ sharply from the middle classes’, in rural and urban areas, except for the case of ultra‐processed foods of which the poor still consume much less than the middle class. We found that the poor dedicate 25% of their food consumption expenditure to the category vegetables/beans, versus 22% and 17% by the lower‐middle and upper‐middle‐income strata. Fruits/animal products constitute 17% of the poor's consumption expenditure compared to 23% and 27% by the lower‐ and upper‐middle strata. Ultra‐processed food (e.g., sugar‐sweetened beverages) form 12% of the consumption of the poor, versus 20% and 32% for the lower‐ and upper‐middle strata. Shares are increasing with income starting at incomes well below the poverty line. Nonincome factors play important roles: e.g., rural off‐farm employment is associated with more consumption expenditure of processed foods by the poor due to the opportunity cost of time.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Dolislager & Lenis Saweda O. Liverpool‐Tasie & Nicole M. Mason & Thomas Reardon & David Tschirley, 2022. "Consumption of healthy and unhealthy foods by the African poor: Evidence from Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 53(6), pages 870-894, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:agecon:v:53:y:2022:i:6:p:870-894
    DOI: 10.1111/agec.12738
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.12738
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/agec.12738?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Subramanian, Shankar & Deaton, Angus, 1996. "The Demand for Food and Calories," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 104(1), pages 133-162, February.
    2. William A. Masters & Amelia B. Finaret & Steven A. Block, 2022. "The economics of malnutrition: Dietary transition and food system transformation," Papers 2202.02579, arXiv.org.
    3. Bouis, Howarth E., 1994. "The effect of income on demand for food in poor countries: Are our food consumption databases giving us reliable estimates?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 199-226, June.
    4. McCullough, Ellen & Zhen, Chen & Shin, Soye & Lu, Meichen & Arsenault, Joanne, 2022. "The role of food preferences in determining diet quality for Tanzanian consumers," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    5. Christine M. Sauer & Thomas Reardon & David Tschirley & Saweda Liverpool‐Tasie & Titus Awokuse & Roselyne Alphonce & Daniel Ndyetabula & Betty Waized, 2021. "Consumption of processed food & food away from home in big cities, small towns, and rural areas of Tanzania," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 52(5), pages 749-770, September.
    6. J. V. Meenakshi, 2016. "Trends and patterns in the triple burden of malnutrition in India," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 47(S1), pages 115-134, November.
    7. Papke, Leslie E. & Wooldridge, Jeffrey M., 2008. "Panel data methods for fractional response variables with an application to test pass rates," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 145(1-2), pages 121-133, July.
    8. William A Masters & Yan Bai & Anna Herforth & Daniel B Sarpong & Fulgence Mishili & Joyce Kinabo & Jennifer C Coates, 2018. "Measuring the Affordability of Nutritious Diets in Africa: Price Indexes for Diet Diversity and the Cost of Nutrient Adequacy," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 100(5), pages 1285-1301.
    9. William A. Masters & Nathaniel Z. Rosenblum & Robel G. Alemu, 2018. "Agricultural Transformation, Nutrition Transition and Food Policy in Africa: Preston Curves Reveal New Stylised Facts," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(5), pages 788-802, May.
    10. David Tschirley & Thomas Reardon & Michael Dolislager & Jason Snyder, 2015. "The Rise of a Middle Class in East and Southern Africa: Implications for Food System Transformation," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(5), pages 628-646, July.
    11. James Banks & Richard Blundell & Arthur Lewbel, 1997. "Quadratic Engel Curves And Consumer Demand," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 79(4), pages 527-539, November.
    12. Papke, Leslie E & Wooldridge, Jeffrey M, 1996. "Econometric Methods for Fractional Response Variables with an Application to 401(K) Plan Participation Rates," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 11(6), pages 619-632, Nov.-Dec..
    13. Ben Senauer & David Sahn & Harold Alderman, 1986. "The Effect of the Value of Time on Food Consumption Patterns in Developing Countries: Evidence from Sri Lanka," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 68(4), pages 920-927.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jumrani, Jaya, 2023. "How responsive are nutrients in India? Some recent evidence," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    2. Christine M. Sauer & Thomas Reardon & David Tschirley & Saweda Liverpool‐Tasie & Titus Awokuse & Roselyne Alphonce & Daniel Ndyetabula & Betty Waized, 2021. "Consumption of processed food & food away from home in big cities, small towns, and rural areas of Tanzania," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 52(5), pages 749-770, September.
    3. Ibrahim Hassen Worku & Mekdim Dereje & Bart Minten & Kalle Hirvonen, 2017. "Diet transformation in Africa: the case of Ethiopia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 48(S1), pages 73-86, November.
    4. Dimitrios Christelis & Dimitris Georgarakos, 2009. "Household Economic Decisions under the Shadow of Terrorism," CSEF Working Papers 213, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy.
    5. McCullough, Ellen & Zhen, Chen & Shin, Soye & Lu, Meichen & Arsenault, Joanne, 2022. "The role of food preferences in determining diet quality for Tanzanian consumers," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    6. Steven F. Koch, 2015. "On the performance of fractional multinomial response models for estimating Engel Curves," Agrekon, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(1), pages 28-52, March.
    7. Meade, Birgit & Muhammad , Andrew, 2017. "The Influence of Income and Prices on Global Dietary Patterns by Country, Age, and Gender," Amber Waves:The Economics of Food, Farming, Natural Resources, and Rural America, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, issue 10, November.
    8. Ogundari, Kolawole & Abdulai, Awudu, 2013. "Examining the heterogeneity in calorie–income elasticities: A meta-analysis," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 119-128.
    9. Ecker, Olivier & Qaim, Matin, 2008. "Income and Price Elasticities of Food Demand and Nutrient Consumption in Malawi," 2008 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2008, Orlando, Florida 6349, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    10. Ameye, Hannah & De Weerdt, Joachim & Gibson, John, 2021. "Measuring macro- and micronutrient consumption in multi-purpose surveys: Evidence from a survey experiment in Tanzania," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    11. Jaya Jumrani & P. S. Birthal, 2017. "Does consumption of tobacco and alcohol affect household food security? Evidence from rural India," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 9(2), pages 255-279, April.
    12. Alessandro Barattieri & Matteo Cacciatore, 2023. "Self-Harming Trade Policy? Protectionism and Production Networks," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 15(2), pages 97-128, April.
    13. Meyer, Ina & Kaniovski, Serguei & Scheffran, Jürgen, 2012. "Scenarios for regional passenger car fleets and their CO2 emissions," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 66-74.
    14. Nicole M. Mason & Thomas S. Jayne & Nicolas van de Walle, 2017. "The Political Economy of Fertilizer Subsidy Programs in Africa: Evidence from Zambia," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 99(3), pages 705-731.
    15. Amat Adarov & Robert Stehrer, 2020. "Capital dynamics, global value chains, competitiveness and barriers to FDI and capital accumulation in the EU," JRC Research Reports JRC121096, Joint Research Centre (Seville site).
    16. Hoderlein, Stefan & White, Halbert, 2012. "Nonparametric identification in nonseparable panel data models with generalized fixed effects," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 168(2), pages 300-314.
    17. Clément Bellet, 2017. "Essays on Inequality, Social Preferences and Consumer Behavior," Sciences Po publications info:hdl:2441/vbu6kd1s68o, Sciences Po.
    18. Costa-Font, Joan & Vilaplana-Prieto, Cristina, 2022. "Health shocks and housing downsizing: How persistent is ‘ageing in place’?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 490-508.
    19. Céline Nauges & Jon Strand, 2017. "Water Hauling and Girls’ School Attendance: Some New Evidence from Ghana," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 66(1), pages 65-88, January.
    20. Øien Henning, 2013. "Do Local Governments Respond to (Perverse) Financial Incentives in Long-Term Care Funding Schemes?," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 14(2), pages 525-549, August.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:agecon:v:53:y:2022:i:6:p:870-894. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/iaaeeea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.