Healthy eating can cost less, study finds
By SAM HANANEL, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Is it really more expensive to eat
healthy?
An Agriculture Department study released Wednesday found
that most fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods cost less than foods high
in fat, sugar and salt.
That counters a common perception among some consumers
that it's cheaper to eat junk food than a nutritionally balanced meal.
The government says it all depends on how you measure the
price. If you compare the price per calorie — as some previous researchers have
done — then higher-calorie pastries and processed snacks might seem like a
bargain compared with fruits and vegetables.
But comparing the cost of foods by weight or portion size
shows that grains, vegetables, fruit and dairy foods are less expensive than
most meats or foods high in saturated fat, added sugars or salt.
That means bananas, carrots, lettuce and pinto beans are
all less expensive per portion than French fries, soft drinks, ice cream or
ground beef.
"Using price per calorie doesn't tell you how much
food you're going to get or how full you are going to feel," said Andrea
Carlson, scientist at the USDA's Economic Research Service and an author of the
study.
For example, eating a chocolate glazed donut with 240
calories might not satiate you but a banana with 105 calories just might.
In the comparisons, the USDA researchers used national
average prices from Nielsen Homescan data, which surveyed a panel of households
that recorded all food purchases over a year from retail outlets.
The cost of eating healthy foods has been the subject of
growing debate as experts warn Americans about the dangers of obesity. More
than a third of U.S. adults are obese, according to the government, and
researchers expect that number to grow to 42 percent by 2030.
"Cheap food that provides few nutrients may actually
be 'expensive' for the consumer from a nutritional economy perspective, whereas
food with a higher retail price that provides large amounts of nutrients may
actually be quite cheap," the study said.
The USDA study criticizes a 2010 report from researchers
at the University of Washington, which found that calorie-for-calorie junk food
is more cost-effective for low-income people than eating healthy.
Adam Drewnowski, director of the Nutritional Sciences
Program at the University of Washington and lead author of the prior study,
said he stands by his findings that a healthier diet generally costs more. He
said there is no government recommendation for how many pounds of food an
American should eat each day, but there are federal guidelines that suggest a
2,000 calorie diet.
"Some of these calories are in fact empty calories,
so from the standpoint of nutrition they are not terrific," Drewnowski
said. "But the empty calories keep you from being hungry, and this is why
people buy them, especially lower-income people."
Margo Wootan, a nutrition advocate with the Center for
Science in the Public Interest, said some people don't think they get as much
value from fruits and vegetables as they get from other foods.
"If they buy a bag of chips for $2, they think it's
a good deal, but if they buy a bag of apples for $2, they think it's a
lot," Wootan said.
"We need to do more to help people understand that
fruits and vegetables are not as expensive as they think they are."
Wootan said shopping smart can make healthy eating more
affordable.
Consumers should be more flexible about choosing less
expensive fruits and vegetables that are in season and supplementing those with
frozen or canned fruits and vegetables so they don't have to throw away as
much.
Copyright © 2012 The Associated Press. All rights
reserved.
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