Health and Hunger

Disease, Energy Needs, and The Indian Calorie Consumption Puzzle

Bibliographic Data

ID9719420
AuthorsJosephine Duh (The Brattle Group and r.i.c.e.), Dean Spears (0000-0001-7905-9192, University of Texas at Austin, Indian Statistical Institute – Delhi Centre, and r.i.c.e.)
Year2017
Volume127
Issue606
Pages2378-2409
Publication date2017-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Economic Journal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0013-0133 • E-ISSN: 1468-0297
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1111/ecoj.12417
PMID33612850
OpenAlexW2553668148
LanguageEN
Citations received14
References cited44

India's experience presents a puzzle at odds with a basic fact of household economics: amidst unprecedented economic growth, average per capita daily calorie consumption has declined in recent decades. Does an improving disease environment explain the calorie decline? A diminished burden of infectious disease could lower energy needs by increasing absorption and effective use of calories. We document a robust effect of disease exposure - measured as infant mortality and as poor sanitation - on calorie consumption. Similar effects are found using multiple datasets and empirical strategies. Disease can account for an important fraction (one-fifth or more) of India's calorie decline

Calorie · Consumption (sociology · Development economics · Disease · Economics · Environmental health · Per capita · Population · Sanitation · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Endocrinology · Income, Poverty, and Inequality · Medicine · Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare

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