Abstract

KIDO-CRUZ, Antonio  and  KIDO-CRUZ, Maria Teresa. A health index representation for studying consumption behavior at the meat mexican market using an almost ideal demand model (1980 to 2008). Universidad y ciencia [online]. 2013, vol.29, n.1, pp.11-18. ISSN 0186-2979.

Several factors influence consumer's decisions to purchase different types of meat. One of those factors is food safety; another is related of receiving medical warnings from a physician. General media information about the safety of meat and healthy consumption habits represents another factor. The main goal of this research paper is to explain changes in the meat consumption behavior in Mexico from 1980 to 2008 and to test whether consumption's changes respond to healthier habits in population. Three types of meat (beef, pork and chicken) were included in the demand function and the almost ideal demand system model under the seemingly unrelated regression method was used in the Matrix Laboratory program. Results show a consumption change from beef demand to chicken demand (cross-price elasticities 0.48 y 0.35) but there is no evidence that those changes respond to a healthier consumption habits (health elasticities -0.055, -0.16 and 0.063).

Keywords : Consumption structure; Meats; Elasticities; Health index.