Date of Award

2007

Publisher

North Dakota State University

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Awarded

Master of Science (MS)

Program

Agribusiness and Applied Economics

Department

Agribusiness and Applied Economics

College

Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources

Faculty Advisor

Miljkovic, Dragan

Description

Obesity has increased dramatically in the past 25 years. The consumption of added sugar has increased significantly during the same time period. Previous research indicates a direct correlation between the consumption of added sugar and the prevalence of obesity. Sugar has been identified in multiple studies as having addictive or opiate-like qualities. Unquestionably, added sugar consumption has contributed to the current obesity epidemic. Here, we apply a reference price economic model to attempt to describe sugar consumption. Using consumption and price data from the Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, we made a reference price estimation of domestic refined sugar (sucrose) consumption. Using time-series econometric techniques, we tested the effects of internal and external reference prices, in the form of first differenced own price and price of other nutrient classes, respectively, on sugar demand. Results indicate that internal and, particularly, external reference prices do indeed play a role in consumption decisions. However, the model lacks socioeconomic variables that may help to provide a more complete consumption picture.

Rights

NDSU policy 190.6.2

Rights Link

https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf

Handle Identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/10365/29853

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