The Economic Effects of Healthy Eating in Sweden: An Analysis of Costs and Benefits

Abstract: Diet-related diseases kill millions of people every year and pose significant costs to the economy and society. In Sweden, this is an increasingly prevalent phenomenon. However, a healthy diet can prevent this. This thesis investigates what costs and benefits there are to adopting healthy eating habits and how these effects impact the Swedish economy. This thesis finds that the costs and benefits vary in the long-, and short-run, and if they are direct or indirect. The analysis finds that healthy eating habits would generate a net benefit of 198 and 2 347 billion SEK in the short-, and long run, respectively. Not all effects are quantified but are nonetheless shown to have major economic ramifications. This thesis concludes that adhering to healthy eating habits in Sweden has a predominately positive impact on the economy and society.