American Economic Journal:
Applied Economics
ISSN 1945-7782 (Print) | ISSN 1945-7790 (Online)
Changes in Nutrient Intake at Retirement
American Economic Journal: Applied Economics
vol. 17,
no. 1, January 2025
(pp. 501–26)
Abstract
Prior research finds food expenditure decreases at retirement, which suggests households are inadequately saving. In contrast, other evidence shows that direct measures of food intake are unaffected by exiting the labor force. Using a wide array of data sources and methodologies, we find that food intake falls at retirement, including: declines in caloric and nutrient intake in cross-sectional datasets spanning 40 years, a decrease in caloric intake using longitudinal data, and a drop in a food intake index that relates diet composition to permanent income. We discuss the implications of these results in the context of life-cycle models of consumption.Citation
Stephens, Melvin Jr., and Desmond Toohey. 2025. "Changes in Nutrient Intake at Retirement." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 17 (1): 501–26. DOI: 10.1257/app.20180378Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- D15 Intertemporal Household Choice; Life Cycle Models and Saving
- G51 Household Finance: Household Saving, Borrowing, Debt, and Wealth
- I12 Health Behavior
- J26 Retirement; Retirement Policies
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