Trade in unhealthy foods and obesity: Evidence from Mexico*

This paper investigates the effects of trade in food on obesity in Mexico. We classify Mexican food imports from the U.S. into healthy and unhealthy and match these with anthropometric and food expenditure survey data. We exploit variation across Mexican states in their exposure to food imports from the U.S.. We find that imports of unhealthy foods significantly contribute to the rise of obesity in Mexico. The empirical evidence also suggests that unhealthy food imports may widen health disparities between education groups. By linking imports to food expenditure and obesity, the paper sheds light on an important channel through which globalisation may affect