Jared G. Carlberg

Health economics and nutrition: a review of published evidence

The relationship between nutrition and health-economic outcomes is important at both the individual and the societal level. While personal nutritional choices affect an individuals health condition, thus influencing productivity and economic contribution to society, nutrition interventions carried out by the state also have the potential to affect economic output in significant ways. This review summarizes studies of nutrition interventions in which health-related economic implications of the intervention have been addressed. Results of the search strategy have been categorized into three areas: economic studies of micronutrient deficiencies and malnutrition; economic studies of dietary improvements; and economic studies of functional foods. The findings show that a significant number of studies have calculated the health-economic impacts of nutrition interventions, but approaches and methodologies are sometimes ad hoc in nature and vary widely in quality. Development of an encompassing economic framework to evaluate costs and benefits from such interventions is a potentially fruitful area for future research.

Economic valuation of the potential health benefits from foods enriched with plant sterols in Canada

Background Increased consumption of foods containing plant sterols has the potential to reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and thus reduce costs associated with treating that disease in a significant way. This paper reports the results of an investigation of the potential monetary benefits of allowing foods enriched with plant sterols to be marketed in Canada. Objective The objective of this research was to estimate the annual savings that would accrue to Canadas single-payer publicly funded health care system if plant sterols were approved for use. If foods containing plant sterols are consumed at a sufficient rate, a reduction in CHD should follow. Given the significant costs associated with CHD, approval of plant sterols in Canada has important public policy implications. Design This research employs a variation of traditional cost-of-illness analysis entailing four steps: (1) estimation of a ‘success rate’ (proportion of persons who would consume plant sterols at the necessary rate); (2) presumption of blood cholesterol reduction due to plant sterol consumption; (3) assumption of reduction in CHD that follows from blood cholesterol reduction; and (4) calculation of cost savings associated with reduced incidence of CHD. Results Calculations were carried out for four scenarios: ideal, optimistic, pessimistic, and very pessimistic. It was estimated that between

Effects Of Ownership Restrictions On Farmland Values In Saskatchewan

38 million (very pessimistic scenario) and

Cost-of-illness analysis reveals potential healthcare savings with reductions in type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease following recommended intakes of dietary fiber in Canada.

2.45 billion (ideal scenario) could be saved annually by Canadas health care system with plant sterol-enriched food products being made available for sale. Conclusion Significant expenditure reductions within Canadas publicly funded health care system could be realized with plant sterols approved for sale. Reduced CHD resulting from lower blood cholesterol levels would lessen the financial burden of disease in Canada.

Dietary fibre intakes and reduction in functional constipation rates among Canadian adults: a cost-of-illness analysis

Restrictions on the ownership of farmland by nonresidents of Saskatchewan were imposed by the Farmland Security Act (FSA) in 1974. The FSA has been blamed by some observers for depressed provincial land values. An adaptive expectations present value model is developed to estimate the effects of the FSA, with the province of Alberta included as a control. Results of seemingly unrelated regressions and generalized autoregressive conditional hetereoscedasticity estimates find no statistically significant effect of the FSA on the value of land in Saskatchewan. This may indicate that the effect of the regulatory change is too small to be measured accurately.

Alternative Theories and Empirical Approaches to Price Discovery: An Application to Fed Cattle

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are leading causes of mortality and two of the most costly diet-related ailments worldwide. Consumption of fiber-rich diets has been repeatedly associated with favorable impacts on these co-epidemics, however, the healthcare cost-related economic value of altered dietary fiber intakes remains poorly understood. In this study, we estimated the annual cost savings accruing to the Canadian healthcare system in association with reductions in T2D and CVD rates, separately, following increased intakes of dietary fiber by adults. Methods: A three-step cost-of-illness analysis was conducted to identify the percentage of individuals expected to consume fiber-rich diets in Canada, estimate increased fiber intakes in relation to T2D and CVD reduction rates, and independently assess the potential annual savings in healthcare costs associated with the reductions in rates of these two epidemics. The economic model employed a sensitivity analysis of four scenarios (universal, optimistic, pessimistic, and very pessimistic) to cover a range of assumptions within each step. Results: Non-trivial healthcare and related savings of CAD

Canadian Potential Healthcare and Societal Cost Savings from Consumption of Pulses: A Cost-Of-Illness Analysis

35.9-

Development and implementation of a mandatory animal identification system: the Canadian experience.

718.8 million in T2D costs and CAD

Strategy and Value in Commodity Organizations: Oklahoma Wheat in the 21st Century

64.8 million–

Willingness-to-pay for fresh brand name beef.

1.3 billion in CVD costs were calculated under a scenario where cereal fiber was used to increase current intakes of dietary fiber to the recommended levels of 38 g per day for men and 25 g per day for women. Each 1 g per day increase in fiber consumption resulted in annual CAD