Study Says High Cost of Healthy Food Hurts Battle Against Obesity

It’s a Catch-22: To fight obesity, we should eat healthier food, but a new study found that lower-calorie foods cost considerably more than fatty dishes. Eating right is so expensive that many Americans can’t afford it. Digital Journal — If you want to pursue the path of nutritional well-being, time to ask for a pay raise. Researchers at the University of Washington (UW) found that eating low-calorie protein-rich food costs much more than the average food item. Prices of fresh fruit, lean meats and other low-cal foods have jumped nearly 20 per cent in the past two years, compared to the U.S. food price inflation of 5 per cent. The study shows that a healthy diet may be out of reach for most Americans. The study also proves that obesity is more than just a personal issue — it’s an economic dilemma. Dr. Adam Drewnowski, director of the Center for Public Health Nutrition and lead author of the study, said in a press release, "...The cost of healthful foods is outpacing inflation is a major problem. The gap between what we say people should eat and what they can afford is becoming unacceptably wide. If grains, sugars and fats are the only affordable foods left, how are we to handle the obesity epidemic?" Researchers studied food prices at groceries in the Seattle area in 2004. They found foods that are less energy-dense, like fresh fruits and vegetables, are much more expensive per calorie than items high in refined grains, added sugars, and added fats. When researchers looked at prices again in 2006, they found the gap in food prices had widened. Lower-calorie foods leaped in price by about 19.5 per cent in that two-year span. But the prices of very calorie-rich foods remained stable or even dropped slightly. The general rate of food price inflation in the U.S. was about 5 per cent during that period, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. This is the kind of study that should wake up governments and food manufacturers. When healthy foods become too expensive to buy, how can anyone afford to be healthy? When quality food soars in price, people will opt for the cheaper alternative, and often cheaper means high in fat or sugar. As many people now know, restaurants and other players in the food industry have menu items that are dangerously loaded with fat and calories. It’s apparent the economics of food needs to be carefully re-examined if the serious health problem of obesity will ever be rectified. America and other nations do not have to be a Super Size Me nation, and the UW study should be enough fodder to spark change.