Grazing and Making Fat: Determinants and Effects

Using the 2006 American Time Use Survey and its Food and Health Module I show that over half of adult Americans report grazing (secondary eating/drinking) on a typical day, with grazing time averaging over 2/3 of primary eating/drinking time. An economic model predicts that higher wage rates will lead to substitution of grazing for primary eating/drinking, especially by changing the relative numbers of meals and grazing incidents. This prediction is confirmed in these data. Eating meals more frequently is associated with lower BMI and better self-reported health, and grazing more frequently is also associated with better health. Food purchases are positively related to time spent eating—substitution of goods for time is difficult—but are lower for meals that are consumed more quickly.