TY  - RPRT
AB  - E-commerce is gaining importance in the food sector of many countries, and its potential influence on people’s access to food and dietary choices is yet to be thoroughly investigated. In this study, we analyze data from a food consumption survey conducted in rural China in 2021 to examine the impact of e-commerce on individual food consumption patterns and dietary quality. Our results with instrumental variable models show that e-commerce significantly reduces the consumption of staple foods, such as cereals and potatoes, while it increases the consumption of legumes, nuts, milk, and milk products, even after controlling for income and other confounding factors. Additionally, e-commerce contributes to higher dietary diversity and dietary quality among rural households. In the face of shrinking physical markets in rural areas, it seems that rural e-commerce can serve as an important mechanism to improve food access and meet the diversifying dietary demands of rural residents.
AU  - Shen, Jiexi 
AU  - Zhu, Zhanguo
AU  - Qaim, Matin
AU  - Fan, Shenggen
AU  - Tian, Xu 
DA  - 2023-06-04
DA  - 2023-06-04
DO  - 10.22004/ag.econ.335226
DO  - doi
ID  - 335226
KW  - Agricultural and Food Policy
KW  - Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety
KW  - e-commerce
KW  - dietary patterns
KW  - dietary quality
L1  - https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/335226/files/ZEF_DP_329.pdf
L2  - https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/335226/files/ZEF_DP_329.pdf
L4  - https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/335226/files/ZEF_DP_329.pdf
LA  - eng
LA  - English
LK  - https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/335226/files/ZEF_DP_329.pdf
N2  - E-commerce is gaining importance in the food sector of many countries, and its potential influence on people’s access to food and dietary choices is yet to be thoroughly investigated. In this study, we analyze data from a food consumption survey conducted in rural China in 2021 to examine the impact of e-commerce on individual food consumption patterns and dietary quality. Our results with instrumental variable models show that e-commerce significantly reduces the consumption of staple foods, such as cereals and potatoes, while it increases the consumption of legumes, nuts, milk, and milk products, even after controlling for income and other confounding factors. Additionally, e-commerce contributes to higher dietary diversity and dietary quality among rural households. In the face of shrinking physical markets in rural areas, it seems that rural e-commerce can serve as an important mechanism to improve food access and meet the diversifying dietary demands of rural residents.
PY  - 2023-06-04
PY  - 2023-06-04
T1  - E-commerce improves dietary quality of rural households in China
TI  - E-commerce improves dietary quality of rural households in China
UR  - https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/335226/files/ZEF_DP_329.pdf
Y1  - 2023-06-04
T2  - ZEF Discussion Papers on Development Policy No. 329
ER  -