Topic updates
Behavioural Economics - Battling Obesity
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/user-photos/gbr_profile.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=100&q=80&w=100)
28th July 2017
The long struggle against smoking is the model for tackling obesity according to Simon Kuper in this article from the Financial Times.
Simon Kuper on how to solve the obesity epidemic: 'The long struggle against smoking is the model' https://t.co/AzxwIiJCdj
— Financial Times (@FT) July 28, 2017
The default bias is strong and Kuper argues that most life-long dietary habits are set by adolescence. But there are still plenty of behavioural nudges that might be applied to tackling the issue.
- Appealing to loss aversion e.g. impact on family of heart attacks / premature death
- Changing the choice architecture in restaurants / vending machines / shops / hospitals
- Wider use of pre-commitment devices e.g. parents choosing healthy school meals in advance
Conventional policy interventions include:
- Increased indirect taxes on high fat / high sugar / high salt foods
- NHS provision of weight-loss drugs
- Tougher regulations for food/drink manufacturers
- Education / information programmes / better labelling
- Changing the formulation of school meals
More on applying behavioural economics insights to health issues can be found here
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/subjects/economics/statistic_id483271_public-opinion_-proposals-to-reduce-obesity-in-great-britain-in-2015.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=80&w=800)
Behavioural design used to prevent #obesity at school https://t.co/wZeH3hBtNX #nudge #publichealth
— The Behaviour Change Collaborative (@TheBCC_Org) August 22, 2016
You might also like
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/user-photos/gbr_profile.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=100&q=80&w=100)
Economics - Science or Art?
27th June 2015
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/user-photos/jon-clark.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=100&q=80&w=100)
Behavioural Economics Teaching Resource - The Importance of Altruism
3rd November 2015
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/user-photos/eventhost-RuthTarrant.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=100&q=80&w=100)
Are economics degrees fit for purpose?
5th February 2016
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/user-photos/gbr_profile.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=100&q=80&w=100)
Tim Harford on Loss Aversion
31st May 2016
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/user-photos/gbr_profile.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=100&q=80&w=100)
Germ Theory and Behavioural Nudges for Better Health
6th November 2016
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/user-photos/gbr_profile.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=100&q=80&w=100)
Best Films of 2016 for Behavioural Economics!
2nd January 2017
![](https://tutor2u-net.imgix.net/user-photos/gbr_profile.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=100&q=80&w=100)
Seven Amazing Optical Illusions
21st February 2017