10.17889/E110096
Atkin, David
Replication data for: The Caloric Costs of Culture: Evidence from Indian Migrants
ICPSR Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research
2015
10.1257/aer.20140297
10.1257/aer.20140297
V0
Anthropologists have documented substantial and persistent
differences in food preferences across social groups. My paper
asks whether such food cultures can constrain caloric intake?
I first document that interstate migrants within India consume
fewer calories per rupee of food expenditure compared to their
neighbors. Second, I show that migrants bring their origin-state food
preferences with them. Third, I link these findings by showing that the
gap in caloric intake between locals and migrants depends on the
suitability and intensity of the migrants' origin-state preferences. The
most affected migrants would consume seven percent more calories
if they possessed their neighbors' preferences. (JEL D12, I12, O15,
R23, Z12, Z13)