The Cost of a "Healthier" Diet

A hot topic in class lately has been the consumption and expense of eating healthy foods. We have talked about the exclusivity of having a healthier diet, and how healthy foods are not economically accessible to all social classes. When consulting CNN health and diet, the first article that appeared was an article entitled, “healthy eating costs you $1.50 more a day”. This title immediately caught my eye, because I would have assumed that healthy eating cost much more than just under two more dollars per day. The article immediately begins by addressing the fact that though healthy eating can be critical in preventing obesity, it is also not affordable to the poorer population. The article explains the results of a study conducted at Harvard addressing cost as the number one inhibitor to eating healthy. Researchers reviewed 27 studies comparing healthy and unhealthy foods and reportedly found that a healthier diet only costs $1.50 more per day. I am extremely skeptical of these results- it just does not seem realistic to me.

Researchers examined studies starting in the year 2000 that compare the price of healthy foods with their unhealthy counterparts. An example presented was the price of lean beef versus a fattier beef. When discussing the price of meat, researchers revealed that the healthier version cost only 29 cents more than the unhealthy version- again; I am skeptical that this fact is true.

A major issue I had with this study is that I felt it was extremely vague. Researchers did not provide a concrete definition of a “healthy” diet. The study also failed to define what exactly an “unhealthy” diet was. Additionally, where were the foods in the study being purchased- a farmers market? A chain grocery store? A town market? This matters because prices could vary depending on the location in which they are purchased, and certain food retailers may not be accessible to different class populations.

In order for this study to be believable, I think there are many factors that need to be changed. For example, I think researches should physically conduct the study. Specifically, instead of researching studies of the prices of foods, I think researchers should have gone to public supermarkets and purchased “unhealthy” and “healthy” foods- then compare the receipts and price differences. That would provide more realistic information to the reader. I do not find the current study credible or helpful to poorer people attempting to eat healthy; I think the information is too broad and assumed. Below I have copied a think so you can come to your own conclusions!

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2013/12/05/healthy-eating-costs-you-1-50-more-a-day/