Contribution of food prices and diet cost to socioeconomic disparities in diet quality and health: a systematic review and analysis

Abstract

Context: It is well established in the literature that healthier diets cost more than unhealthy diets. Objective: The aim of this review was to examine the contribution of food prices and diet cost to socioeconomic inequalities in diet quality. Data Sources: A systematic literature search of the PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases was performed. Study Selection: Publications linking food prices, dietary quality, and socioeconomic status were selected. Data Extraction: Where possible, review conclusions were illustrated using a French national database of commonly consumed foods and their mean retail prices. Data Synthesis: Foods of lower nutritional value and lower-quality diets generally cost less per calorie and tended to be selected by groups of lower socioeconomic status. A number of nutrient-dense foods were available at low cost but were not always palatable or culturally acceptable to the low-income consumer. Acceptable healthier diets were uniformly associated with higher costs. Food budgets in poverty were insufficient to ensure optimum diets. Conclusions: Socioeconomic disparities in diet quality may be explained by the higher cost of healthy diets. Identifying food patterns that are nutrient rich, affordable, and appealing should be a priority to fight social inequalities in nutrition and health.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of the Ministry of Food cooking programme on self-reported food consumption and confidence with cooking

“…The recent nationally representative UK nutrition survey also found that young people (19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34) have less confidence with cooking than other age groups in the UK (17) ; therefore they have more scope for improvement. However in our study, younger people (16)(17)(18)(19) improved in confidence less than 20-64 year olds. Additionally their fruit and vegetable intake improved less than 20-64 year olds.…”

Comprehensive and Medically Appropriate Food Support Is Associated with Improved HIV and Diabetes Health

“…Sixty percent of food-insecure US households have participated in at least one federal food and nutrition assistance program, the largest being the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, called Cal-Fresh in California) [21]. SNAP benefits may be insufficient for people with chronic illness to access healthy foods, which tend to cost more than less healthy foods [22][23][24]. In addition, many food-insecure individuals are excluded from participation in the federal food safety-net: in 2012, almost 30% of food-insecure households in the US had incomes above the eligibility thresholds for federal nutrition assistance [25]; SNAP also excludes undocumented immigrants.…”

Healthy and sustainable diets for future generations

“…A number of considerations are paramount for ensuring that healthy diets are also sustainable diets – not only their environmental and health impact but also price, taste, culture and convenience. The links between socio‐economic class and diet quality are becoming well documented in different cultures 54, 55, 56, 57…”