The Effects of Farm and Food Policy on Obesity in the United States

Abstract

The obesity epidemic is a global phenomenon, but it is worse in the United States than in most places. Obesity imposes significant individual and social costs and has become a focus of policy discussions. Many policy proposals relate to food and farms. What part have farm and food policies played as contributors to the problem? What part should they play in the government’s strategy to reduce obesity and its social costs? This book explores these questions, taking an economics perspective and using the tools of economics to analyze and evaluate the alternatives. The book is written for a broad general audience, including policymakers and the general public, and advanced undergraduate and graduate students across a range of disciplines.