The elusive link between income and obesity

Forseveral decades, obesity has been a major public health and public policy issue involving high private and social costs. The literature on the causes of obesity has identified a number of non‐economic and economic causes. Among the latter, poverty seems to be connected to obesity in rich countries. However, a deeper study of the empirical literature suggests that the link between income and obesity is more complex, as it can be negative or positive, or changes when countries develop over time. In recent years, new theoretical explanations of this complex link have emerged. Our literature review of the empirical and theoretical literature aims at better understanding the link between income and obesity, providing an essential foundation for adequate policy making.