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Will Low-Income Populations Love Spicy Foods More? Accounting for Tastes

Author

Listed:
  • Ma, Chao
  • Song, Ze
  • Sun, Xuhui
  • Zhao, Guangchuan

Abstract

Based on the Theory of Rational Addiction (TORA), this paper identifies the correlation between income and the preference for spicy foods by analysing the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) data. The results show that compare with high-income residents of same area, the low-income residents prefer to spicy foods in China. The regression results of IV and Lewbel IV all support it. According to the result, the channel of health behaviours and health awareness are possible causal channels for the negative correlation between income and the preference for spicy foods, rather than health capital stock and food selection.

Suggested Citation

  • Ma, Chao & Song, Ze & Sun, Xuhui & Zhao, Guangchuan, 2015. "Will Low-Income Populations Love Spicy Foods More? Accounting for Tastes," MPRA Paper 68415, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:68415
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Spicy taste; Income; Rational addiction;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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