Abstract
BackgroundFood cost and affordability is one of the main barriers to improve the nutritional quality of diets of the population. However, in Argentina, where over 60% of adults and 40% of children and adolescents are overweight or obese, little is known about the difference in cost and affordability of healthier diets compared to ordinary, less healthy ones.MethodsWe implemented the “optimal approach” proposed by the International Network for Food and Obesity/non-communicable diseases Research, Monitoring and Action Support (INFORMAS). We modelled the current diet and two types of healthy diets, one equal in energy with the current diet and one 6.3% lower in energy by linear programming. Cost estimations were performed by collecting food product prices and running a Monte Carlo simulation (10,000 iterations) to obtain a range of costs for each model diet. Affordability was measured as the percentage contribution of diet cost vs. average household income in average, poor and extremely poor households and by income deciles.ResultsOn average, households must spend 32% more money on food to ensure equal energy intake from a healthy diet than from a current model diet. When the energy intake target was reduced by 6.3%, the difference in cost was 22%. There are no reasonably likely situations in which any of these healthy diets could cost less or the same than the current unhealthier one. Over 50% of households would be unable to afford the modelled healthy diets, while 40% could not afford the current diet.ConclusionsDifferential cost and affordability of healthy vs. unhealthy diets are germane to the design of effective public policies to reduce obesity and NCDs in Argentina. It is necessary to implement urgent measures to transform the obesogenic environment, making healthier products more affordable, available and desirable, and discouraging consumption of nutrient-poor, energy-rich foods.
Highlights
Food cost and affordability is one of the main barriers to improve the nutritional quality of diets of the population
This study aimed to bridge this information gap in Argentina by estimating the cost differential and affordability of the current diet vs. healthy diets as of 2018, using the data collection and analysis approach proposed by the International Network for Food and Obesity/non-communicable diseases Research, Monitoring and Action Support (INFORMAS) [16]
The INFORMAS optimal approach INFORMAS is a global network of organizations and researchers committed to the promotion of healthy food environments worldwide, with the ultimate goals of reducing obesity, diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their related inequalities
Summary
Food cost and affordability is one of the main barriers to improve the nutritional quality of diets of the population. In Argentina, where over 60% of adults and 40% of children and adolescents are overweight or obese, little is known about the difference in cost and affordability of healthier diets compared to ordinary, less healthy ones. Over 40% of children and adolescents between 5 and 17 years old are overweight or obese [2] In this context, promoting healthy eating habits and the consumption of less energy-dense foods is critical to reduce the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) associated with excess weight. Carlson and Frazão [9] found that healthier foods cost less than less healthy foods in the USA when measured in price by edible weight ($/100 g) or average portion ($/average portion), but not when measured as price by energy unit ($/kcal). This could be explained by the fact that healthier foods tend to be less energy-dense (e.g. fruit, vegetables) and will be more expensive per energy unit than highly energy-dense foods [10]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
