Chronic Disease, Prescription Medications, and Food Purchases. Issue 4 (May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rahkovsky, Ilya; Anekwe, Tobenna; Gregory, Christian
• Is Part Of: American journal of health promotion. Volume 32:Issue 4(2018)
• Page Start: 916
• Page End: 924
• Publication Date: 2018-05
• Subjects: chronic disease -- food purchases -- drugs -- diet -- moral hazard; Health promotion -- Periodicals; Health Promotion; Health promotion; Periodicals; Periodicals; 613.05
• DOI: 10.1177/0890117117740935
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0890-1171

Abstract

Purpose: Diet-related chronic diseases like diabetes can be dangerous and expensive to treat, especially for patients who do not follow a recommended diet. Meanwhile, prescription drugs can alleviate the symptoms of or control many diet-related chronic diseases, but these drugs may also weaken the resolve to follow recommended diets (moral hazard). Design: We measure the effect of a diagnosis of chronic disease and subsequent pharmacological treatment on the dietary quality of food purchases using a large panel data set of US consumers. We estimate the effect of prescription drug utilization on food purchases for the following chronic diseases: type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, and obesity. Participants: Panelists of the Information Resources, Inc consumer panel. Measures: Dietary quality is measured as purchases of (1) food groups (ie, fruit, vegetables, and sweets) and (2) nutrients (ie, saturated fat, fiber, sodium, sugar, and total calories). Analysis: Linear regression with mixed effects on pooled panel (household random effects, city fixed effects). Results/Conclusion: We do not find strong effects of either diagnosis or pharmacological treatment of diet-related disease on food purchases.