A Nutritional Account of Global Trade: Determinants & Health Implications

Health systems in developing countries are confronted with the coexistence of undernutrition along with chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes, while greater exposure to globalization shapes diets and health choices. This project examines the effects of international trade in foods on nutrition and health in poor and emerging economies. By altering relative prices and income, trade integration can impact the economic incentives behind dietary choices. We will dissect the health effects of food exports and imports by estimating the nutritional content of trade flows across a large set of developing countries over the last decades. The objective is to map the evolution of nutrient flows across countries through trade in foods and assess its impact on health. The project will support collaborations between the Center on Global Poverty and Development at Stanford and the Aix-Marseille School of Economics (AMSE) in Marseille. Our aim is to bring together economists and health scholars and advance knowledge about the relationship between globalization and health. Through a series of visits across institutions and the launch of a new research project, we will foster linkages among researchers and graduate students in development, trade and health at AMSE and Stanford.