18 Obesity contagion and social loss. In this question, we discuss the research
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18 Obesity contagion and social loss. In this question, we discuss the research on obesity contagion by Christakis and Fowler (2007) introduced in Section 22.5. They find that people who identify obese people as friends are also more likely to be obese. a Does the finding by Christakis and Fowler establish a causal link between a friend's obesity and one's own obesity? Ifnot, propose a different reason for the correlation identified by Christakis and Fowler. For the rest of this problem, suppose that the effect is causal. In other words, obesity is contagious and being friends with someone who is obese is likely to make you make you obese, even if you are thin initially b Do obese people impose a negative externality on their friends? What is the externality? c Suppose the government actively pursues Pigouvian remedies to reduce social loss from externalities. It taxes smoking to combat the externality from nd smoke. It taxes factories to reduce the environmental harm fronm If the government also wants to use a Pigouvian tax to alleviate the problem pol lutoesity contagion, what should it tax? Will this tax work? What factors go into lution. deciding the size of the tax? that people know that obesity contagion exists and can calculate the effect e friends impose on them. Would someone ever voluntarily befriend an on? What does this mean about the maximum harm an obese person ose on his friends due to the obesity externality? Hint It may be helpful d Suppose at obese obese erson terms of the costs and benefits of befriending this person.] to think in Obesity contagion can also travel friend less I through familial relations. Unlike in the case o dships, family kinships- especially between parents and children - are much likely to be voluntary. How does your answer to the previous question change family members instead of friends? all the concept of excess burden from Chapter 21. For both the cases of friends f Rec nd fami ly members, what is the excess burden imposed by obesity contagion? consider the negative externality caused by a polluting factory. For the sake of this problem, assume that the pollution is concentrated and does not affect anyone or anything outside the factory's immediate radius. Living next to the factory is voluntary, and people are not legally proscribed from moving. For a family living next to the factory, what is the upper bound on the harm caused by the pollution? What might the excess burden be?Explanation / Answer
1 Researchers from harward and california reviewed a database of densely interconnected people that is a group that included mainly families and friends.
According to their analysis,when a study participants friend become obese that 1st participant has 57% greater chance of becoming obese himself.
" You are what you eat isnt the end of story
. You are what you and your friends eat" says fowler.
Geographical distance between do not have any impact. Friends who live 5 hour drive apart and saw each other infrequently were just as influenced by each others weight gains as those who lived close enough to share weakly twice out meals/ pickup basketball games.
Best proof that friendship caused weight gain says fowler is that people were more likely to influence their own behaviour on actions of people they considered friends.
2 Externality is what the person represents that is his weight.
If its negative externality then your getting fat harms others.
If obesity is considered traditional then obiously it represents a clear negative externality.
3 Tax levised on any market activity genareates negative externality.
In presence of negative externality,the socipa cost of market activity is not covered by private cost of activity.In such cases tahe market outcome is not efficientand may lead to over consumption of production.
Often cited examples are environmental pollution
- increase public health care costs associated with tobacco and sugar drink consumption.
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