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This paper develops a conceptual framework that can explain why economic development goes along with increases in body weight and obesity rates. We first introduce the concept of novelty consumption, which refers to an increase in food availability due to trade or innovation. Then we study how novel food products alter the optimal consumption bundle and welfare, and possibly lead to changes in body weight. We test our model employing the German reunification as a fast motion natural experiment of economic development. Our data elicit detailed information on East Germans' food consumption, body mass, and diet-related health. After the fall of the Wall, East Germans permanently changed their diet by consuming novel western food products. A significant population share permanently gained weight. This is consistent with our theoretical framework where past affects current consumption, and where novel goods determine consumption changes over time with ambiguous effects on dietrelated health.

This paper provides fi eld evidence on (a) how price framing aff ects consumers' decision to switch health insurance plans and (b) how the price elasticity of demand for health insurance can be influenced by policymakers through simple regulatory efforts. In 2009, in order to foster competition among health insurance companies, German federal regulation required health insurance companies to express price differences between health plans in absolute Euro values rather than percentage point payroll tax differences. Using individual-level panel data, as well as aggregated health plan-level panel data, we find that the reform led to a sixfold increase in an individual's switching probability and a threefold demand elasticity increase. ; In diesem Papier zeigen wir, dass durch die Einführung des Gesundheitsfonds und der Zusatzbeiträge im Jahr 2009 die Wahrscheinlichkeit, bei einer Beitragserhöhung die Krankenkasse zu wechseln, deutlich angestiegen ist. Bis zum Jahr 2009 wurden Preisunterschiede zwischen Krankenkassen in Beitragssatzunterschieden ausgewiesen (als relative Unterschiede) während seit 2009 Preisunterschiede in absoluten Eurobeträgen dargestellt werden. Mit Daten des Sozio-oekonomischen Panels sowie aggregierten Daten ausgewählter Krankenkassen finden wir, dass diese Politikänderung zu einer stärkeren Wechselbereitschaft geführt hat und somit den Krankenkassenwettbewerb anfachen dürfte. Eine Preiserhöhung um einen Euro hat nach der Reform einen sechsmal so großen Einfluss auf die Wechselwahrscheinlichkeit wie vor der Reform.