The impact of
Internet access on household dietary quality: Evidence from rural China

doi:10.1016/j.jia.2023.11.014

Journal of Integrative Agriculture

2024, Vol. 23

Issue (2): 374-383 DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2023.11.014

Section 1: Nutrition

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The impact of Internet access on household dietary quality: Evidence from rural China

Yi Cui¹, Qiran Zhao^1,
2#, Thomas Glauben³, Wei Si^{1, 2}

¹ College of Economics and Management, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China

² Academy of Global Food Economics and Policy, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China

³ Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO), Halle (Saale) 06120, Germany

Abstract
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摘要

过去几十年里，中国互联网迅速普及，对农村地区经济和社会发展产生了深远的影响。一些研究发现互联网接入对农业生产率和农民收入具有显著正向影响，但有关互联网对农村居民福利影响的研究仍相对不足，尤其是在关注互联网对农村居民膳食质量方面的研究缺乏。本研究利用全国农村固定观察点2009年到2015年的多期面板数据，使用双向固定效应模型，分析互联网接入对农户膳食质量水平和食物消费的影响。该模型同时控制农户个体层面和时间层面的固定效应，不仅保证研究结果的稳健性，也降低由于遗漏变量导致的内生性问题。本研究发现互联网接入可以显著提高农户的膳食质量（膳食平衡指数，DBI-16）水平，增加动物性食物（如水产品和乳制品）的消费量。进一步的机制分析发现互联网接入主要通过增加农户收入和食品支出两个渠道改善农户膳食质量水平。这些发现不仅有助于推动互联网接入作为提高农村居民营养水平的有价值工具，同时也为相关政策的制定提供了有力支持。

Abstract

Over the past few decades, the Internet has rapidly diffused across China. The spread of the Internet has had a profound economic and social impact on Chinese rural areas. Existing research shows that Internet access significantly impacts agricultural production and improves smallholder farmers’ income. Beyond these, the Internet can affect other dimensions of social welfare. However, research about the impact of Internet access on dietary quality in rural China remains scarce. This study utilizes multi-period panel data from Fixed Observation Point in rural China from 2009 to 2015 to estimate the impact of Internet access on dietary quality and food consumption of rural households and conducts a causal analysis. Regression models with time and household fixed effects allow robust estimation while reducing potential issues of unobserved heterogeneity. The estimates show that Internet access has significantly increased rural household dietary quality (measured by the Chinese Diet Balance Index). Further research finds that Internet access has increased the consumption of animal products, such as aquatic and dairy products. We also examine the underlying mechanisms. Internet access improves dietary quality and food consumption mainly through increasing household income and food expenditure. These results encourage the promotion of Internet access as a valuable tool for nutritional improvements, especially in rural areas.

Keywords: dietary quality fixed-effect model Internet access rural China

Received: 28 February 2023 Accepted: 03 August 2023

Fund: This study was supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (71973136 and 72061147002) and the 2115 Talent Development Program of China Agricultural University.

About author: Yi Cui, E-mail: cuiyicau@163.com; #Correspondence Qiran Zhao, E-mail: zhaoqiran@cau.edu.cn

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Yi Cui, Qiran Zhao, Thomas Glauben, Wei Si. 2024. The impact of Internet access on household dietary quality: Evidence from rural China. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 23(2): 374-383.

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