Diet and Economic Modelling to Improve the Quality and Affordability of the Australian Diet for Low and Medium Socioeconomic Households

Michelle Blumfield, Carlene Starck, Tim Keighley, Peter Petocz, Anna Roesler, Kylie Abbott, Tim Cassettari, Skye Marshall and Flavia Fayet-Moore
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Michelle Blumfield: Department of Science, Nutrition Research Australia, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
Carlene Starck: Department of Translational Science, Nutrition Research Australia, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
Tim Keighley: Department of Science, Nutrition Research Australia, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
Peter Petocz: Department of Science, Nutrition Research Australia, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
Anna Roesler: Department of Science, Nutrition Research Australia, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
Kylie Abbott: Nutrition Research Australia, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
Tim Cassettari: Department of Translational Science, Nutrition Research Australia, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
Skye Marshall: Department of Science, Nutrition Research Australia, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
Flavia Fayet-Moore: Nutrition Research Australia, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 11, 1-18

Abstract: Food costs are a barrier to healthier diet selections, particularly for low socioeconomic households who regularly choose processed foods containing refined grains, added sugars, and added fats. In this study, the objectives were to: (i) identify the nutrient density-to-cost ratio of Australian foods; (ii) model the impact of substituting foods with lower nutrient density-to-cost ratio with those with the highest nutrient density-to-cost ratio for diet quality and affordability in low and medium socioeconomic households; and (iii) evaluate food processing levels. Foods were categorized, coded for processing level, analysed for nutrient density and cost, and ranked by nutrient density-to-cost ratio. The top quartile of nutrient dense, low-cost foods included 54% unprocessed (vegetables and reduced fat dairy), 33% ultra-processed (fortified wholegrain bread and breakfast cereals <20 g sugars/100 g), and 13% processed (fruit juice and canned legumes). Using substitution modelling, diet quality improved by 52% for adults and 71% for children across all households, while diet affordability improved by 25% and 27% for low and medium socioeconomic households, respectively. The results indicate that the quality and affordability of the Australian diet can be improved when nutritious, low-cost foods are selected. Processing levels in the healthier modelled diets suggest that some ultra-processed foods may provide a beneficial source of nutrition when consumed within national food group recommendations.

Keywords: diet; cost analysis; affordability; food security; diet quality; food-processing; socioeconomic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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