Price and availability of healthy food: A study in rural South Africa
Abstract
Objective We investigated the availability of healthier food choices and whether a healthier diet costs more than a diet commonly eaten by low-income families in South Africa.Methods We visited 21 food stores in 14 rural towns of the Western Cape province of South Africa. We recorded the price and availability of 66 food items, including both commonly consumed foods as well as healthy options.Results Healthier food choices are available in supermarkets. However, many towns only have small food stores with a limited selection of healthy foods. We compared the prices of six commonly consumed foods with healthier versions of those foods (e.g., whole-wheat bread in place of white bread). Healthier foods typically cost between 10% and 60% more when compared on a weight basis (Rand per 100 g), and between 30% and 110% more when compared based on the cost of food energy (Rand per 100 kJ). Next, we compared the extra cost of a healthier diet compared to a typical South African menu. On average, for an adult male, the healthier diet costs Rand 10.2 (US$1.22) per day more (69% more). For a household with five occupants, the increased expenditure on food by eating a healthier diet is approximately Rand 1090 per month (US$140); this represents a high proportion (>30%) of the total household income for most of the population.Conclusion Healthier food choices are, in general, considerably more expensive than commonly consumed foods. As a result, a healthy diet is unaffordable for the large majority of the population.
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Conventional wisdom often holds that healthier foods are more expensive than less healthy foods, supported by analyses of costs on a per-calorie basis.
“Conventional wisdom often holds that healthier foods are more expensive than less healthy foods, supported by analyses of costs on a per-calorie basis.149,150”
From Population Approaches to Improve Diet, Physical Activity, and Smoking Habits: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (2012) · cites this paper as [150]
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- Authors
- Temple, N. J., Steyn, N. P., Fourie, J., & De Villiers, A.
- Affiliations
- Athabasca University (CA)
- Human Sciences Research Council (ZA)
- South African Medical Research Council (ZA)
- Venue
- Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2011-01
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 55-58
- ISSN
- 0899-9007 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2098962758
- Cited by
- 114
- References
- 18
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 22.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Athabasca University
- South African Medical Research Council
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Economics of Agriculture and Food Markets
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations
- Keywords
- food availability, healthy diet affordability, low-income households, rural South Africa, Western Cape, food stores, food expenditure, whole wheat bread, household income
- MeSH terms
- Energy Intake, Commerce, Diet, Family Characteristics, Food, Food Handling, Food Supply, Humans, Poverty, Rural Population, South Africa
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