Andrea Carlson

Economist
202-694-5072
acarlson@ers.usda.gov
Google Scholar profile

Briefly

Andrea (Andi) Carlson, an economist in the Food Markets Branch of the Food Economics Division, researches food prices, with an emphasis on their impact on healthy diets and organic food purchases. Her research interests include defining the appropriate metric to determine the cost of a healthy diet, tracking consumption over time, and examining organic food purchases and price premiums. Andi joined ERS after 9 years with USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) where she was the project leader for the USDA Food Plans, CNPP Food Prices Database, and a major contributor to the Cost of Raising a Child. Andi received the Secretary's Award for developing and implementing USDA's Food Patterns (Choose MyPlate, formerly MyPyramid).

Education

Andi received her Ph.D. in Agricultural and Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota (1999), M.S. in International Development and Appropriate Technology from the University of Pennsylvania (2002), and B.A. in Physics from St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN (1988).

Selected Publications

Jaenicke, E.C., and A.C. Carlson. 2015. "Estimating and Investigating Organic Premiums for Retail-Level Food Products," Agribusiness 31(4):453-471.

Carlson, A., and E. Frazão. 2014. "Food Costs, Diet Quality and Energy Balance in the U.S.," Physiology and Behavior 134:20-13.

Carlson, A., and E. Frazão. 2012. Are Healthy Foods Really More Expensive? It Depends on How You Measure the Price, EIB-96, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, May.

Carlson, A., and H. Stewart. 2011. "A Wide Variety of Fruit and Vegetables Are Affordable to Snap Recipients," Amber Waves, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, December.

Frazão, E., A. Carlson, and H. Stewart. 2011. "Energy-Adjusted Food Costs Make Little Economic Sense," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 93(4):861.

Stewart, H., J. Hyman, E. Frazão, J.C. Buzby, and A. Carlson. 2011. "Can Low-income Americans Afford to Satisfy MyPyramid Fruit and Vegetable Guidelines?" Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior 43(3):173-79. *2012 best article award, Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.

Stewart, H., J. Hyman, J.C. Buzby, E. Frazão, and A. Carlson. 2011. How Much Do Fruits and Vegetables Cost? EIB-71, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, February.

Lino, M., and A. Carlson. 2010. "Estimating Housing Expenses on Children: A Comparison of Methodologies," Journal of Legal Economics 16(2):61-79.

You, W., G. Zhang, B. Davy, A. Carlson, and B. Lin. 2009. "Food Consumed Away From Home Can Be a Part of a Healthy and Affordable Diet," Journal of Nutrition 139(10):1994-99.

Lino, M., and A. Carlson. 2008. Expenditures on Children by Families, MP-1528, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.

Carlson, A., M. Lino, W. Juan, K. Marcoe, L. Bente, H.A.B. Hiza, P.M. Guenther, and E. Leibtag. 2008. Development of the CNPP Prices Database, CNPP-22, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, May.

Carlson, A., M. Lino, and T. Fungwe. 2007. The Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans, CNPP-20, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, November.

Carlson, A., M. Lino, W. Juan, K. Hanson, and P.P. Basiotis. 2007. Thrifty Food Plan, 2006, CNPP-19, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, April.

Carlson, A., and S. Gerrior. 2006. "Food Source Makes a Difference in Diet Quality," Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior 38(4):238-243.

Foote, J.A., S.P. Murphy, L.R. Wilkens, P.P. Basiotis, and A. Carlson. 2004. "Dietary Variety Increases the Probability of Nutrient Adequacy Among Adults," Journal of Nutrition 134(7):1779-1785.

Carlson, A., and B. Senauer. 2003. "The Impact of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) on Child Health," American Journal of Agricultural Economics 85(2):479-91.