Health and hunger: Disease, energy needs, and the Indian calorie consumption puzzle

• Authors: Dean Spears, Josephine Duh
• Published in: The Economic Journal
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Abstract

India’s experience presents a puzzle at odds with a basic fact of household economics: amidst unprecedented economic growth, average per capita daily calorie consumption has declined in recent decades. Does an improving disease environment explain the calorie decline? A diminished burden of infectious disease could lower energy needs by increasing absorption and effective use of calories. We document a robust effect of disease exposure – measured as infant mortality and as poor sanitation – on calorie consumption. Similar effects are found using multiple datasets and empirical strategies. Disease can account for an important fraction (one‐fifth or more) of India’s calorie decline.