Aggregation, Flexible Forms, and Estimation of Food Consumption Parameters
评估分组方案、商品聚合和函数形式选择对估计食品消费参数的影响，使用美国数据估计灵活需求模型，计算营养摄入对价格和支出的弹性，并分析社会经济变量的作用。
Abstract Grouping schemes, commodity aggregation, and the choice of functional specification significantly influence the results of empirical demand studies. This article assesses the importance of these factors for estimating aggregate food consumption parameters. A flexible food demand model that nests alternative specifications is estimated using U.S. data. Foods are aggregated based on a new grouping scheme adopted from the “Dietary Guidelines for Americans.” Nutrient intake elasticities with respect to food prices and expenditure are calculated. The influence of socioeconomic variables on consumption and nutrient intake is analyzed. Price, income, and demographic effects are found to be highly significant. Our findings are invariant to the choice of functional form.