Research
Energy balance
Agricultural innovation that lowers the relative price of food contributes to weight gain by increasing the supply of calories, accounting for approximately 40% of recent obesity growth.
The declining real price of food, driven by agricultural efficiency, has made it easier to consume excess calories. This supply-side factor contributes significantly to weight gain. To manage weight, be aware that cheap food encourages overconsumption, and actively monitor portions even when food is affordable.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
we find that about forty percent of the recent growth in weight seems to be due to agricultural innovation that has lowered food prices
Why this rating
Based on empirical analysis of price trends and individual-level data.
Source
The Growth of Obesity and Technological Change: A Theoretical and Empirical Examination
Darius Lakdawalla et al. · National Bureau of Economic Research · 2002
DOI 10.3386/w8946
cohortCited 461×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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