Healthy diet costs three times that of junk food – ‘May contribute toward growing food insecurity, increasing health inequalities, and a deterioration in the health of the population’

By Laura Donnelly
8 October 2014 (Telegraph) – Eating healthily costs three times as much as consuming unhealthy food – and the price gap is widening, according to a study by Cambridge University. Researchers examined almost 100 popular items of food, which is defined under Government criteria as healthy or not. They found that 1,000 calories made up from healthy items, such as lean salmon, yoghurts and tomatoes, cost an average of £7.49 in 2012. The same calorie intake from less healthy items, such as pizza, beef burgers, and doughnuts, could be purchased for an average of £2.50. The gap between the two 1,000 calorie baskets is now £4.99, the research found, when ten years ago it was £3.88. The average increase of healthy foods rose by £1.84 per 1,000 calories over the decade, while unhealthy food rose by 73 pence for the same energy intake, the study found. Researchers from the University’s Centre for Diet and Activity Research, called on Government to do more to bring down the costs of healthy food. Lead author Nicholas Jones said: “Food poverty and the rise of food banks have recently been an issue of public concern in the UK, but as well as making sure people don’t go hungry it is also important that a healthy diet is affordable.” “The increase in the price difference between more and less healthy foods is a factor that may contribute towards growing food insecurity, increasing health inequalities, and a deterioration in the health of the population.” [more]

Healthy diet costs three times that of junk food