Food Price and Diet and Health Outcomes

Abstract

Background Despite surging interest in taxation as a policy to address poor food choice, US research directly examining the association of food prices with individual intake is scarce. Methods This 20-year longitudinal study included 12,123 respondent days from 5,115 participants in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study. Associations between food price, dietary intake, overall energy intake, weight, and HOMA insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) scores were assessed using conditional log-log and linear regression models. Results The real price (inflated to 2006 dollars) of soda and pizza decreased over time; the price of whole milk increased. A 10% increase in the price of soda or pizza was associated with a -7.12% (95% confidence interval [CI]: -63.5, -10.71) or -11.5% (95%CI: -17.50, -5.50) change in energy from these foods respectively. A $1.00 increase in soda price was also associated with lower daily energy intake (-124 [95%CI: -198, -50] kcal), lower weight (-2.34 [95%CI: -4.00, -0.68] lbs), and lower HOMA-IR score (0.42 [95%CI: -0.60, -0.23]); similar trends were observed for pizza. A $1.00 increase in the price of both soda and pizza was associated with greater changes in total energy intake (-181.49 [95%CI: -247.79, -115.18] kcal), body weight (-3.66 [95%CI: -5.19, -2.14] lbs), and HOMA-IR (-0.45 [95%CI: -0.59, -0.31]). Conclusions Policies aimed at altering the price of soda or away-from-home pizza may be effective mechanisms to steer US adults toward a more healthful diet and help reduce long-term weight gain or insulin levels over time.

Parents’ and Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Strategies to Reduce Fast Food Consumption Among Iranian Adolescents: A Qualitative Study

“…In addition, one study found that a strict budget might affect parents' choices for purchasing from FF restaurants (30). Duffy et al showed that imposing taxes on high-calorie foods such as pizza had an impact on reducing consumption (45). The reduction of the price of healthy foods in low income communities was also effective in reducing the consumption of unhealthy foods (46).…”

A Machine Learning Approach to Measure and Monitor Physical Activity in Children to Help Fight Overweight and Obesity

“…Recommendations for physical activity levels are issued by most governments as part of public health measures (Pate, Pratt, Blair, & Al., 1995). However, they tend to be updated frequently or adjusted due to external circumstances, such as changes in diet and food pricing (Duffey, Gordon-Larsen, Shikany, Guilkey, & Al., 2010), sedentary lifestyle (Martinez-Gonzalez, 1999), technology (Kautiainen, Koivusilta, Lintonen, Virtanen, & Rimpela, 2005), the built environment (Saelens, Sallis, Black, & Chen, 2003), family structure (Lissau & Sorensen, 1994) and social influences (Mcferran, Dahl, Fitzsimons, & Morales, 2010). Consequently, it has become increasingly important, from a public health policy-makers perspective, to develop reliably measuring physical activity intensity to ground public health guidelines.…”

Taxing Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: Not a “Holy Grail” but a Cup at Least HalfComment on “Food Taxes: A New Holy Grail?”

“…Much evidence demonstrates the effect, or likely effect, of taxes on SSB consumption (3,(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29). Several studies, most focused on soda/soft drinks, have documented associations between higher SSB prices and lower consumption.…”

“…Several studies, most focused on soda/soft drinks, have documented associations between higher SSB prices and lower consumption. Authors have utilized various methods, including observational data on food prices and consumption (22,26), household survey data on food purchases (23,(27)(28)(29), and experimental studies (25). A 2009 systematic review of food price elasticities found a price elasticity of demand of -0.79 (95% CI 0.33, 1.24) for soft drinks, estimated from 14 different studies.…”

“…This elasticity suggests that for every 10% increase in the price of soft drinks, sales would decline by 7.9%. Additional studies have found very similar elasticities (22,25) or even higher responsiveness to price (i.e., less inelastic demand) (3,23,(27)(28)(29). Two recent studies conservatively projected calorie reductions per capita from SSB taxes, accounting for potential substitutions to other beverages and foods.…”