RESEARCH

1. Food Prices and Households Inflation Beliefs in US. (Work in Progress, Hunger Solutions Institute)

In this study, we test whether expectations about food price inflation influence overall inflation expectations. We use a unique sample of low-income households who participate in the SNAP and conducted a randomize  survey experiments. We find that  prior inflation beliefs significantly influence how respondents form beliefs about future headline inflation. The treatment effects from our RCT model reveal that, compared to respondents receiving no information (control), those receiving the information on food and medical care-cost inflation had higher posterior inflation expectations, suggesting that, for low-income households, food and medical care costs are salient inflation categories and anchor their headline inflation expectations. Our Bayesian learning results show that respondents receiving the food inflation information revised their prior inflation beliefs downward by 21.21%, and those whose prior inflation beliefs were farthest from the accurate inflation information updated the most. 

2. Quantifying the Effect of School Lunches on Food Components Consumption and Diet Quality of Children.

(With Ariun Ishdorj) (Under review)

Despite improved National School Lunch Program (NSLP) nutrition standards, participants’ dietary quality remains below the optimal levels. This study examines the relationship between school meal consumption and dietary quality and its components, while accounting for meal cost, and simulating sodium reduction scenarios. Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and two-group two-period Tobit model, we find that participants, compared to nonparticipants, consume more fruits, vegetables, dairy, whole grains, and less refined grains, and added sugar. Access to free or low-cost meals significantly improves participants’ dietary quality, and sodium reduction can be implemented without compromising overall diet quality.

3. Measuring the Effect of Meal Sources and Prices on Diet Quality.

     (With Ariun Ishdorj)  (In progress)

The dietary quality of US Adults often does not meet recommended nutrition standards, a situation further complicated by the increasing demand for food away from home (FAFH). This study examine how meals from FAFH—through fast-food establishments and full-service dining restaurants—and food at home (FAH) sources along with their prices, has impacted the dietary quality of adults, as measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) and its adequacy and moderation components scores. Using adults’ dietary intake data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and a copula-based regression model, we find that consuming one fast food meal relative to a home meal, at average meal prices, decreases the HEI by 4.72% and the adequacy components score by  8.71%, while having no significant effect on the moderation components score. Conversely, consuming one full-service dining meal relative to a home meal, at average meal prices, increases the HEI by 8.11% and the adequacy components score by 17.89 %, while also decreasing the moderation components score by 9.83%. Additionally, increase in home meal price above the average amplify the negative impact of fast-food meal and reduces the positive impact of full-service dining meal. Heterogeneity analyses reveals that fast-food meal’s negative effect is strongest for high-income and Hispanic adults, and increase in home meal price above average most adversely affect dietary quality of Hispanic, non-Hispanic black and young and older-age adults.

4.   Health and Happiness: from the Role of Food Security (Work in Progress, Hunger Solutions Institute)

Using a Survey, we examine how food security mediates the relationship between health and perceived well-being. We use a unique sample of low-income adults in households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance. Our preliminary results show that, consistent with previous findings, poor health negatively affects happiness, while food security is positively associated with happiness. Our mediation analysis shows that approximately 6–9% of the effect of health on happiness is mediated through food security. 

5. How does food away from home impacts what we eat at home? (Work in Progress)

This study examine the extent to which Americans’ food at  home (FAH) choice associates with their increasing FAFH share. I investigate two ways through which increasing food away from home  share may impact what American adults consume in FAH. I investigate two mechanisms through which increasing FAFH share may impact what American adults consume in FAH. The first mechanism is the spillover or compensation pattern, whereby FAFH-like food preferences extend into FAH choices. The second mechanism is the habit formation, where individuals adjust their dietary patterns at home as they incorporate FAFH regularly. Preliminary results indicate that FAFH is associated with what we eat at home. We find evidence of unhealthy habitual patterns such that higher consumption of FAFH is associated with lower consumption of adequacy components

6. Understanding Overlapping Nutrition Incentives and Customer Incentive Use. (work in progress)

This study utilize an natural experiment  of overlapping milk and fruit and vegetable incentive programs. This happened in California, when a retailer participated in both Add Milk incentive and the Cal Fresh Fruit and Vegetables (Cal Fresh FV) Incentive Program. We examine stores sales of incentivized milk during periods when CalFresh was active and periods when it was inactive and assess how Add Milk coupon issuance changed at the retailer when CalFresh was active and periods when it was inactive.

Industry research 

1. Estimated the impact of prime fee-hike on the purchase behavior of Amazon prime members using quasi-experimental methods: difference-in-differences, propensity score matching and double machine learning. 

2. Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana - contribution of NBFC-MFIs 

(The Indian Banker (Volume IV Issue 5, December 2016. Page 44. )

3. Rural infrastructure development fund (RIDF)

(Oriental bank of commerce, half yearly magazine. June 2015 )