10 - The increase of CO2 emissions by obesity epidemic in Latin American and Caribbean countries

Abstract

This chapter analyses the impact of the obesity epidemic on CO2 emissions in 20 countries from the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region between 1991 and 2016. This chapter uses the fixed-effects model as a method. The empirical results showed that the obesity epidemic increases CO2 emissions by 0.6436, economic growth by 0.7275, consumption of energy from fossil fuel energy sources by 0.7322, agricultural land use by 0.2142 and food production by 0.0522. Therefore, the positive impact of economic growth, energy consumption from fossil fuel energy sources, food production and agricultural land use is related to the obesity epidemic. The obesity epidemic increases food production and agricultural land use. Consequently, it will positively impact economic activity, the consumption of energy from non-renewable energy sources, and finally, CO2 emissions.