| Publication |
2009.
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| Summary/Abstract |
Consumption of beer, wine and spirits by men in China is investigated, using data from the 2006 China Health and Nutrition Survey. Censoring of consumption levels is accommodated by estimating a censored equation system, using quasi maximum-likelihood and copula methods which allow the specification of non-Gaussian error distributions. Findings suggest that a misspecified error distribution can obscure the effects of explanatory variables on alcohol consumption. The procedure produces very different empirical estimates from a more conventional (Gaussian) estimator. Income does not affect alcohol consumption, with socio-demographic factors such as education, employment, and marital status playing more definitive roles. Regional differences are also found.
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