The rise in obesity has largely been attributed to an increase in calorie consumption. We show that offi cial government household survey data indicate that calories have declined in England between 1980 and 2013; while there has been an increase in calories from food out at restaurants, fast food, soft drinks and confectionery, overall there has been a decrease in total calories purchased. Households have shifted towards more expensive calories, both by substituting away from home production towards market production, and substituting towards higher quality foods. We show that the decline in calories can be partially, but not entirely, rationalised with weight gain by a decline in the strenuousness of work and daily life.
Authors
Rachel Griffith
Rachel is Research Director and Professor at the University of Manchester. She was made a Dame for services to economic policy and education in 2021.
Melanie Lührmann
Melanie joined the Institute for Fiscal Studies in 2006 as a Research Fellow and she is a Professor at Royal Holloway, University of London.
Rodrigo Lluberas
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