Measuring the precise effect of eating out on calorie intake: The case of Korea.

This article examines the impact of eating dinner out on calorie intake in South Korea, using data from the 2017–2020 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Employing an endogenous treatment effect model with daily precipitation as an instrumental variable to control for endogeneity, the study finds that eating dinner out increases calorie intake by approximately 388 Kcal compared to eating at home, a higher estimate than models that do not account for endogeneity. The increase in calorie consumption varies by individual characteristics, with greater effects observed among men, younger adults, higher-income households, and those who consume alcohol frequently. The findings highlight the significant role of eating out in calorie intake and suggest that managing the frequency of dining out could be important for obesity prevention policies in Korea.