The Institute of Social and Economic Research’s (ISER) Dr. Mouhcine Guettabi, Associate Professor of Economics, was recently published in Scientific American where he discussed his recent research and results on the impact of universal basic income (UBI) on childhood obesity. The article drew from a longer report which Dr. Guettabi co-authored with Drs. Brett Watson and Matthew Reimer.
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A new study of the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) program shows that an additional $1,000 PFD decreases the probability of an Alaskan child being obese by as much as 4.5 percentage points, translating to about a 22% reduction in obesity.
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Staff from the State of Alaska Section of Chronic Disease Prevention will present the results of a simulation model of a $0.03-per-ounce- state excise tax on sugary drinks in Alaska. The simulation was conducted by the Childhood Obesity Intervention Cost-Effectiveness Study (CHOICES) research team from the Harvard School of Public Health using Alaska BRFSS data and sugary drink prices.
When: Wednesday, September 26, 12 to 1
Where: ISER Conference Room, Third Floor, 1901 Bragaw Street, Suite 301
Note: This talk will not be live streamed or recorded.
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Treating medical problems related to obesity among the current group of children and teenagers in Alaska will cost about $624 million (in today's dollars) over the next 20 years, according to a new analysis by Mouhcine Guettabi, assistant professor of economics at ISER. That includes costs for the 15% who are obese now, and will likely remain so as adults, as well as another 20% who aren't obese now but will become obese as adults. These are the first estimates of the medical costs associated with obesity among those ages 2 through 19 in Alaska today.
The study, Current and Future Medical Costs of Obesity in Alaska (pdf, 372.5KB), was done for the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. If you have questions, get in touch with Mouhcine Guettabi at mguettabi@alaska.edu.