Food Choices and Diet Costs: an Economic Analysis,
Open accessAbstract
Obesity in the United States is a socioeconomic issue. It is related to limited social and economic resources and may be linked to disparities in access to healthy foods. Added sugars and added fats are far more affordable than are the recommended "healthful" diets based on lean meats, whole grains, and fresh vegetables and fruit. There is an inverse relationship between energy density of foods (kJ/g) and energy cost ($/MJ), such that energy-dense grains, fats, and sweets represent the lowest-cost dietary options to the consumer. Good taste, high convenience, and the low cost of energy-dense foods, in conjunction with large portions and low satiating power, may be the principal reasons for overeating and weight gain. Financial disparities in access to healthier diets may help explain why the highest rates of obesity and diabetes are found among minorities and the working poor. If so, then encouraging low-income households to consume more costly foods is not an effective strategy for public health. What is needed is a comprehensive policy approach that takes behavioral nutrition and the economics of food choice into account.
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Several foods traditionally supported by agricultural policy, such as wheat, corn, dairy, and beef, are typically more energy-dense and less nutrient-dense, served in larger portion sizes, and, in some cases, less expensive on a per-calorie basis than foods less supported by agricultural policy such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and fish.
“Several foods traditionally supported by agricultural policy, such as wheat, corn, dairy, and beef, are typically more energy-dense and less nutrient-dense, served in larger portion sizes, and, in some cases, less expensive on a per-calorie basis than foods less supported by agricultural policy such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and fish.148,182,183”
From Population Approaches to Improve Diet, Physical Activity, and Smoking Habits: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (2012) · cites this paper as [183]
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- Authors
- Drewnowski, A., & Darmon, N.
- Affiliations
- University of Washington (US)
- Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (FR)
- Corresponding author
- Drewnowski, Adam
- Venue
- The Journal of Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2005-04
- Volume
- 135
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 900-904
- ISSN
- 0022-3166 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1997236124
- Cited by
- 769
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 40 · 2018: 37 · 2017: 39 · 2016: 46 · 2015: 50 · 2014: 56 · 2013: 58 · 2012: 59
- FWCI
- 33.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- University Libraries (University of Maryland) (submittedVersion)
- Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (University of Maryland College Park)
- Funders
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- 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 choice, diet cost, obesity, energy density, food affordability, added sugars, added fat, socioeconomic disparities, healthy food access, low-income households, portion size, satiety, diabetes mellitus, food policy, behavioral nutrition
- MeSH terms
- Choice Behavior, Costs and Cost Analysis, Energy Metabolism, Food, Food Supply, France, Humans
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