A Healthy Diet Is Not More Expensive than Less Healthy Options: Cost-Analysis of Different Dietary Patterns in Mexican Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Unhealthy diets are recognized as a major risk factor for many diseases. The decrease in costs of industrialized products, as well as the possible misinformation about a healthy diet, has led to new behaviors in the dietary patterns of the pediatric population. The costs of dietary patterns have not been estimated in our population, so the objective of this study was to determine the cost associated with dietary patterns in Mexican children and adolescents, hypothesizing that a healthy diet is not necessarily more economically expensive. This study analyzed data from a population-based cross-sectional study of healthy children and adolescents in Mexico City. Data were collected from a food frequency questionnaire and the meal cost of habitual food shopping. Eating patterns were obtained by using principal component analysis. A micro-costing technique was performed to obtain the direct costs of each pattern. When comparing the healthy pattern with the transition and non-healthy patterns, it was observed that there were no statistically significant differences between the dietary patterns (p = 0.8293). The cost of the healthy pattern only takes up 16.6% of the total biweekly income of a salaried Mexican. In this study, no differences were observed between the costs of a healthy and a less healthy diet.

Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors Associated with the Influence of the Food Traffic Light Labeling on the Decision of the Adult Population of Ecuador to Purchase Processed Foods, 2018

“…Another study, carried out in Luxembourg, identified that being below the poverty line was associated with lower compliance with national nutritional recommendations and with a greater selection of unhealthy foods [ 29 ]. In this regard, there is evidence that healthy food options tend to be more expensive compared to unhealthy options [ 34 ]; however, this pattern can be context-dependent [ 35 ]. Following the implementation of the NTL in Ecuador, it has been reported that households with low-income levels tend to spend more and consume more calories from carbonated soft drinks than households with high socioeconomic levels [ 11 ].…”

A Descriptive Qualitative Study of the Perceptions of Regulatory Authorities, Parents, and School Canteen Owners in the South of Ecuador about the Challenges and Facilities Related to Compliance with the National Regulation for School Canteens

“…Health experts and the directors have a divided opinion on the matter, but some studies seem to affirm that a healthier diet is more expensive and has its disadvantages; for example, a study carried out in Ontario, Canada, shows that nutritious foods are more expensive than healthy foods [ 19 ]. However, in a study in Mexico, no differences were observed between the costs of a healthy and a less healthy diet [ 20 ]. On the other hand, it could be interesting to consider the money that parents give to their children to buy food in schools and the differences by socioeconomical level, or in private or public schools.…”

The Effect of Food Vouchers and an Educational Intervention on Promoting Healthy Eating in Vulnerable Families: A Pilot Study

“…In 2021, The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) published a report conveying that the cost of food and beverages and their affordability are key determinants of malnutrition, including undernutrition and obesity, globally [ 5 ]. While some studies have suggested that a healthy diet is not more expensive than less healthy options [ 6 , 7 ], this report estimated that the price of a healthy diet (rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, and dairy products) costs 60% more than diets that only met essential nutrient requirements based on a limited number of foods. It also estimated that 3 billion people could not afford the cost of a healthy diet, without taking into account recent global events such as the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic that severely impacted employment and household incomes [ 8 , 9 ].…”