Publication Date
January 2000
Recommended Citation
Levy, Amnon, Rational Non-addictive Eating: Cycles, Overweightness, and Underweightness, Department of Economics, University of Wollongong, 2000.
https://ro.uow.edu.au/commwkpapers/28
Abstract
Although a deviation from the physiologically optimal weight increases the probability of dying, the steady state for a lifetime expected-utility maximiser is a state of overweightness. However, even a small initial deviation from this rationally stationary weight is followed by explosive oscillations. These oscillations might lead to severe and chronic underweightness in a late stage of life. In the presence of socio-cultural norms of appearance, the rationally stationary weight of fat people is lower than otherwise and the rationally stationary weight of lean people is greater than otherwise. (JEL I12)
Publication Details
Levy, A, Rational Non-addictive Eating: Cycles, Overweightness, and Underweightness, Working Paper 00-07, Department of Economics, University of Wollongong, 2000.