Food Prices Impact Healthy Eating

There remains a lot of debate over whether various food pricing strategies can help individuals develop better eating habits and reduce their risk of becoming overweight or obese.  While studies have suggested that increasing the price of unhealthy foods can improve diet quality, other studies have reported that consumers prefer that healthy foods get discounted rather than see an increase in the cost of unhealthy foods. 

A recent nutrition research study published online ahead of print in the Journal of Nutrition explored the relationship between food prices, fast food consumption, and diet quality among U.S. children.  Fast food prices and fruit and vegetable prices were examined in relationship to their dietary consumption by over 6,500 young children and over 1,500 teens who took part in the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals.  While relationships in teens were inconsistent according to the researchers, observations in young children showed that:

• Higher fast food prices were linked to lower consumption of fast foods, higher intakes of dietary fiber, higher calcium consumption, higher dairy consumption, higher intakes of fruits and vegetables, and an improved overall healthy eating index.
• Lower costs of fruits and vegetables were linked to greater fiber consumption and reduced body mass index.

Overall, this newest study continues to suggest that food prices can impact diet quality and childhood obesity.  This particular study suggests that increasing the cost of fast foods reduces the consumption of these foods and increases dietary quality of U.S. children.  This study also points out that the high cost of healthy foods like fruits and vegetables is linked to a higher body mass index.  Unfortunately, the cost of healthy foods appears to still be increasing.  A recent Australian study reported that while healthy eating still requires about 30% of a family's income, the cost of healthy foods continues to rise.   In fact, from 2000 - 2009 the cost of vegetables rose by about 40% and the cost of fruit rose by 64% in Australia. Another study reports that the cost of nutrient dense foods (more healthy) in Seattle, Washington increased by 29% between 2004 - 2008, while the cost of foods with a low nutrient density (less healthy) only increased by 16% over the same time span with the cost of the most nutritious foods being about 9 times greater than the least nutritious foods. 

These studies make it clear that in general healthier foods cost quite a bit more than less nutritious foods and that various pricing strategies like increasing the cost of less nutritious foods and decreasing the cost of healthy foods can impact dietary quality.  While taking both approaches might have the best overall effect of improving our eating habits and reducing our risk for becoming overweight or obese, any increase in food prices will probably not be well received by any of us.  Finding the best and least costly approach to improving the quality of our diets will take a lot of work and almost certainly won't happen right away.  In the meantime, look for nutrient dense foods that fit your budget and try to minimize the amount of energy dense foods in your diet.

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Individual Costs of Being Overweight

We have all heard that being overweight or obese puts a heavy burden on the health care industry resulting in substantial increases in medical costs for heavier individuals.  However, medical costs are only part of the additional costs paid by overweight or obese individuals.  Until recently, it was unclear how much being obese costs on an annual basis for individuals.

A new report from the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services Department of Healthy Policy outlines some of the individual costs linked to being overweight and obese.  While the full report is free to download and read, some of the most important revelations are briefly discussed below.

Direct Medical Costs.  Being obese costs an individual person $1,474 dollars a year in direct medical costs.  This includes $433/year inpatient costs, $458/year non-inpatient costs, and $586/year in prescription drug costs.  One study reported that costs increase with higher body weights; a moderately obese person (BMI 30 to 34.9) pays about $800 more per year than a normal weight person, while a morbidly obese person (BMI >40) pays about $2,800 more per year than a normal weight person.

Income.  Results of the analysis conducted for this new report indicated that obese female full time employees make $1,855 less per year compared to normal weight women.  Annual lost wages was only $75 for obese men compared to normal weight men.

Productivity.  According to this report, studies have shown that on average obesity causes a reduction in productivity at work.  The loss of productivity linked to obesity equaled $358 per obese employee.

Short-term Disability.  Several studies have indicated that obese workers are more likely to suffer a short-term disability than normal weight workers.  These studies suggest that an overweight employee is at a 26% increased risk for a short-disability event and that an obese worker is at a 76% increased risk for such an event.  These increased risks translated to increased costs.  The number of days lost due to illness cost an additional $55 per year for the average overweight individual and an additional $349 per year for an obese individual.  Annual costs for disability pension insurance was approximately $70 higher for obese individuals.

Personal Costs.  This new report examined two personal costs, gasoline cost and life insurance cost.  Morbidly obese individuals spent $30/year (men) and $36/year (women) more in gasoline costs than normal weight individuals.  In regards to life insurance costs, overweight individuals typically pay an additional $14/year, while obese individuals will generally pay an additional $111/year. 

Life Expectancy.  Obesity reduces life expectancy in men more so than it does in women.  In Caucasian men life expectancy is reduced by about 5 years, whereas life expectancy is reduced by 4 years in morbidly obese Caucasian women.  The value of life lost due to obesity was reported to be $3,486/year for men and $3872/year for women.

Total Costs.

1. The total reported costs for being overweight is $524 per year for women and $432 per year for men.
2. The yearly costs associated with being obese is $4,879 for women and $2,646 for men.
3. If the loss in life expectancy is included, the cost of being obese is $8365 per year for women and $6,518 per year for men.

It is clear from this new report, that being overweight or obese can have a major impact on an individuals finances.  Not counting the value associated with life span, it costs about $3,000 - $5,000 per year more to be obese compared to having a normal body weight.  While some of the costs outlined in this report are shared with employers and government institutions a number of costs come directly out of a person's pocket.  The study investigators indicated that these costs are likely to be underestimated because many other consumer-related costs like travel costs, clothing costs, automobile size, and other goods and services have not been studied.  Reducing one's body weight and maintaining a healthy body weight not only has numerous health benefits, but apparently can impact personal finances.

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