Professor of Economics, University of Michigan
Professor Smith earned her undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Wyoming and both graduate degrees in economics (M.A. and Ph.D.) at Virginia Tech. She joined the UM-Dearborn faculty in 1988.
Professor Smith’s research focuses on the relationships between health and socioeconomic status. For example, she published a book on whether participation in the food stamps program causes obesity among low income Americans. She has also examined whether asthma leads to lower wealth accumulation or if wealth protects against asthma. A recent publication shows that income and wealth are not major predictors of fast-food consumption among adults, but hours worked and regularly reading ingredient labels are.
Do poor Americans drink more soda than the rich?
Jul 21, 2020 14:29 pm UTC| Health
Many countries such as the U.K. and Mexico and a handful of U.S. cities such as Philadelphia and San Francisco have imposed soda taxes in an effort to fight rising obesity. Lots of research shows a link between drinking...
Dec 19, 2018 15:21 pm UTC| Insights & Views Life
Its that time of year when cookies, cakes, candy and treats show up at work, home and every place in between. As researchers who have investigated obesity, peoples body image, and fast food and other nutritional topics...
Cutting EPA budget puts babies at risk – and makes little economic sense
Apr 26, 2017 08:17 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics
President Donald Trump recently ordered an air strike on Syria, fueled in part by moral outrage at images of babies being injured and killed by airborne toxins. American babies are under threat as well. In this case,...
‘We have thousands of Modis’: the secret behind the BJP’s enduring success in India