This would represent a real burden for some families, and we need policies to help offset these costs. On the other hand, this price difference is very small in comparison to the economic costs of diet-related chronic diseases, which would be dramatically reduced by healthy diets. Marge Dwyer They also suggest that the findings support routinely monitoring food prices to inform possible economic policy responses. The current study has found that the price of food per calorie in the UK between and was consistently higher for healthier food than for less healthy food.
The method the researchers used took advantage of routinely available government data on food prices and nutritional content. This means it would not require collection of new data to keep track of healthy and unhealthy food prices per calorie. There are some limitations to the findings, which the authors themselves discuss, including the small number of foods and drinks they assessed, as they were restricted to using those listed in the UK Consumer Price Index between and However, the index includes commonly bought items.
They assessed price per calorie, rather than price per unit weight, as this is the way international organisations assess food poverty. Also dietary recommendations are given in terms of calories rather than weight of food.
However, one of the reasons for less healthy foods to be classed as less healthy is that they have high levels of calories per gram. So it is perhaps not surprising that less healthy food tends to costs less per calorie than more healthy foods such as fruit and veg, which tend to have fewer calories per gram.
Building on this research to estimate the price of healthy and unhealthy diets as a whole, or also presenting prices per weight could help in giving an idea of the practical day to day impact of these differences.
This study has added another layer to the information available about food prices in the UK, linking it to nutritional value. Given the recent economic climate and also concerns about diet-related health conditions, this is likely to be of interest to both the public and policy makers. Accept and close. Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from.
By choosing I Accept , you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Why eating healthy is so expensive in America. Reddit Pocket Flipboard Email. Next Up In Video. Delivered Fridays. Thanks for signing up! Check your inbox for a welcome email. Well, when the government re-developed the Australian Dietary Guidelines a little over a year ago, they held focus groups across the nation to gain insight into the major barriers that made eating healthy food difficult for Australian families.
This is what they came up with and after 10 years in the industry I tend to agree. The three main barriers to eating healthy food, reported by regular, everyday Australians, just like you and me, are:. However, when it comes to the argument that fruit and vegetables are expensive and healthy eating costs too much I tend to disagree. Let me give you some examples.
This would feed 2 adults and 2 children. With this meal comes a burger, fries and soft drink for each family member. It would take you approximately minutes to obtain.
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