Principles of Obesity Economics

Economics motivates consumer behavior based on preferences, relative prices, and time and money constraints.  Economics motivates the role for government based on market failure.  Obesity has been deemed a critical public health problem.  This course explores how consumer choices lead to individuals being different weights and discusses whether there is an economic rationale for government intervention in the markets most closely related to food and activity choices. 

Course Objectives

• Define the concept of consumer sovereignty 
• Describe how consumers are thought to make choices based on a combination of preferences, relatively prices, and time and money constraints 
• Describe economic motivations for government action in markets 
• Consider arguments regarding the appropriateness of a government role in markets that are related to obesity in adults and children

Week 1: Learn some background information about economics, and learn about the epidemiology of obesity and  about direct and indirect costs; andtake a quiz to assess what you have learned; introduce yourself to the class; and begin to have discussions using economic terminology on the BBS

Week 2: Learn about  both economic and non-economic influences on obesity;  take a quiz to assess what you have learned; and begin to apply economic logic to potential policies to change consumer behaviors

Week 3: Learn about the limits of consumer sovereignty, how economists motivate government policies, and what some economists think about policies that have already been tried; take a quiz to assess what you have learned; and write a basic policy analysis

Week 4: Complete the final quiz, assess the written work of your peers; and continue to discuss how incentives, information, and constraints affect individuals' choices of food and activity levels and result in individuals being widely varying weights