Healthy eating is becoming more expensive

Health is expensive: The price of nutritious food is skyrocketing

The research has shown that more nutritious foods now cost twice as much per calorie as unhealthy alternatives. As a result, it is becoming increasingly difficult for more and more families to maintain a healthy diet. In the case of the poorest households, 45 percent of disposable income would have to be spent on food to maintain the recommended diet, while for families with children this ratio rises to 70 percent.

The reign of advertising: Unhealthy foods come to the fore

The research found that food manufacturers and retailers promote unhealthy products much more than healthy alternatives. More than a third of food and drink advertising spend is on sweets, snacks and soft drinks, while only 2% is spent on promoting fresh fruit and vegetables. This imbalance is compounded by the fact that consumers are drawn to products high in sugar and fat.

Health and social consequences

Children from the poorest households eat 20% less fruit and vegetables than children from the richest households and are almost twice as likely to be obese. The seriousness of the situation was highlighted by Anna Taylor, of the UK Food Foundation: “Our Broken Plate report shows that our food system is failing to meet the basic nutritional needs of large sections of the population to stay healthy and thrive.”