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The Geography of Poverty and Nutrition: Food Deserts and Food Choices across the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Allcott, Hunt

    (New York University)

  • Diamond, Rebecca

    (Stanford University)

  • Dube, Jean-Pierre

    (University of Chicago)

Abstract

We study the causes of "nutritional inequality": why the wealthy tend to eat more healthfully than the poor in the U.S. Using two event study designs exploiting entry of new supermarkets and households' moves to healthier neighborhoods, we reject that neighborhood environments have economically meaningful effects on healthy eating. Using a structural demand model, we find that exposing low-income households to the same food availability and prices experienced by high-income households would reduce nutritional inequality by only 9%, while the remaining 91% is driven by differences in demand. In turn, these income-related demand differences are partially explained by education, nutrition knowledge, and regional preferences. These findings contrast with discussions of nutritional inequality that emphasize supply-side issues such as food deserts.

Suggested Citation

  • Allcott, Hunt & Diamond, Rebecca & Dube, Jean-Pierre, 2018. "The Geography of Poverty and Nutrition: Food Deserts and Food Choices across the United States," Research Papers repec:ecl:stabus:3631, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business.
    • Handle: RePEc:ecl:stabus:repec:ecl:stabus:3631
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    File URL: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/gsb-cmis/gsb-cmis-download-auth/455536
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Yuyao Huang & Alison Tovar & John Taylor & Maya Vadiveloo, 2019. "Staple Food Item Availability among Small Retailers in Providence, RI," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-23, March.
    2. Erik Nelson & John Fitzgerald & Nathan Tefft, 2019. "The distributional impact of a green payment policy for organic fruit," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(2), pages 1-25, February.
    3. Xu, Licheng, 2020. "Timing of SNAP disbursement and crime rate in the United States," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304248, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    4. Peter Congdon, 2019. "Obesity and Urban Environments," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-6, February.
    5. Daniel Shoag & Stan Veuger, 2019. "Do land use restrictions increase restaurant quality and diversity?," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(3), pages 435-451, June.
    6. Stanley Frederick W. T. Lim & Elliot Rabinovich & Sungho Park & Minha Hwang, 2021. "Shopping Activity at Warehouse Club Stores and Its Competitive and Network Density Implications," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 30(1), pages 28-46, January.
    7. Xiaochu Hu & Lorraine W. Clarke & Kamran Zendehdel, 2021. "Farmers’ Market Usage, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption, Meals at Home and Health–Evidence from Washington, DC," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-14, July.
    8. Zeng, Di & Thomsen, Michael R. & Nayga, Rodolfo M. & Bennett, Judy L., 2019. "Supermarket access and childhood bodyweight: Evidence from store openings and closings," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 78-88.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • L81 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Retail and Wholesale Trade; e-Commerce
    • R20 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - General

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