Income variability, evolving diets, and demand for processed foods in Nigeria

We present evidence on evolving dietary patterns in Nigeria using three waves and six total rounds of household consumption data from the Nigerian Living Standards and Measurement Surveys between the years of 2011 and 2016. First, following conventional definitions in the literature, we show that Ni...

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Autores principales: de Brauw, Alan, Herskowitz, Sylvan
Formato: Artículo preliminar
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: International Food Policy Research Institute 2019
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/147246
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author de Brauw, Alan
Herskowitz, Sylvan
author_browse Herskowitz, Sylvan
de Brauw, Alan
author_facet de Brauw, Alan
Herskowitz, Sylvan
author_sort de Brauw, Alan
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description We present evidence on evolving dietary patterns in Nigeria using three waves and six total rounds of household consumption data from the Nigerian Living Standards and Measurement Surveys between the years of 2011 and 2016. First, following conventional definitions in the literature, we show that Nigeria has not shown any aggregate increase in consumption of highly processed foods over this time period, contrary to studies elsewhere in the region. In fact, consumption of highly processed foods at home has decreased, while food away consumed away from home has risen substantially. We then show that estimates of food expenditure elasticities of different food types are highly sensitive to different estimation approaches, raising concerns regarding the existing evidence base on food consumption patterns reliant on estimation of food expenditure elasticities. Different specifications can lead to broadly differing conclusions about whether highly processed food is either the most or least elastic food category. In our preferred specifications, we find that elasticity of demand for food away from home is highest for the relatively wealthy and in the urban South. Within households, elasticities are highest in times of scarcity, suggesting that households cut food away from home when resources are relatively scarce.
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spelling CGSpace1472462025-11-06T05:06:31Z Income variability, evolving diets, and demand for processed foods in Nigeria de Brauw, Alan Herskowitz, Sylvan economic shock food policies households nutrition food consumption diet We present evidence on evolving dietary patterns in Nigeria using three waves and six total rounds of household consumption data from the Nigerian Living Standards and Measurement Surveys between the years of 2011 and 2016. First, following conventional definitions in the literature, we show that Nigeria has not shown any aggregate increase in consumption of highly processed foods over this time period, contrary to studies elsewhere in the region. In fact, consumption of highly processed foods at home has decreased, while food away consumed away from home has risen substantially. We then show that estimates of food expenditure elasticities of different food types are highly sensitive to different estimation approaches, raising concerns regarding the existing evidence base on food consumption patterns reliant on estimation of food expenditure elasticities. Different specifications can lead to broadly differing conclusions about whether highly processed food is either the most or least elastic food category. In our preferred specifications, we find that elasticity of demand for food away from home is highest for the relatively wealthy and in the urban South. Within households, elasticities are highest in times of scarcity, suggesting that households cut food away from home when resources are relatively scarce. 2019-01-03 2024-06-21T09:12:35Z 2024-06-21T09:12:35Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/147246 en https://doi.org/10.1111/ajae.12139 Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute de Brauw, Alan; Herskowitz, Sylvan. 2018. Income variability, evolving diets, and demand for processed foods in Nigeria. IFPRI Discussion Paper 1793. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://hdl.handle.net/10568/147246
spellingShingle economic shock
food policies
households
nutrition
food consumption
diet
de Brauw, Alan
Herskowitz, Sylvan
Income variability, evolving diets, and demand for processed foods in Nigeria
title Income variability, evolving diets, and demand for processed foods in Nigeria
title_full Income variability, evolving diets, and demand for processed foods in Nigeria
title_fullStr Income variability, evolving diets, and demand for processed foods in Nigeria
title_full_unstemmed Income variability, evolving diets, and demand for processed foods in Nigeria
title_short Income variability, evolving diets, and demand for processed foods in Nigeria
title_sort income variability evolving diets and demand for processed foods in nigeria
topic economic shock
food policies
households
nutrition
food consumption
diet
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/147246
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AT herskowitzsylvan incomevariabilityevolvingdietsanddemandforprocessedfoodsinnigeria