Obesity and Economic Freedom: State-level Analysis

Abstract

Several suggestions have been proposed to explain rising obesity levels around the world. Scholars suggest that mass production or industrialization leads to greater calorie consumption and less physical activity, resulting in the weight gain. Additional research suggests faster economic growth is the result of a greater economic freedom, thus establishing the link between economic freedom and weight gain. This study examines the relationship between obesity and economic freedom in the United States. Although the states are relatively similar when considering development levels, they are quite different in obesity trends. Therefore, mass production theory cannot be applied to explain the link between obesity and economic freedom when comparing individual states. We hypothesize that states differ in their approaches toward consumption and fighting obesity, resulting in varying obese populations. Our results suggest that states with a higher index of economic freedom have higher levels of obesity.