What is the cost of a healthy diet? Using diet data from the UK Women's Cohort Study

• Published in: Journal of epidemiology and community health (1979) 2014-11, Vol.68 (11), p.1043-1049
• Main Authors: Morris, Michelle A, Hulme, Claire, Clarke, Graham P, Edwards, Kimberley L, Cade, Janet E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Body Mass Index; Chronic illnesses; Cluster analysis; Cohort Studies; Community health; Cost analysis; Cost control; Cost estimates; Costs and Cost Analysis; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Diet - economics; Diet - standards; Diet Surveys; Disease; Energy Intake; Feeding Behavior; Female; Food; Food and body weights; Food consumption; General aspects; Guideline Adherence - economics; Guideline Adherence - statistics & numerical data; Health care expenditures; Health promotion; Health Status; Humans; Meats; Medical research; Medical sciences; Methods; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Nutrition Policy; Nutrition research; Nutritional adequacy; Omnivores; Population; Prices; Public health; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Questionnaires; Regression Analysis; Studies; Time; United Kingdom; Vegetarianism; Womens health
• ISSN: 0143-005X; 1470-2738
• DOI: 10.1136/jech-2014-204039

Background A healthy diet is important to promote health and well-being while preventing chronic disease. However, the monetary cost of consuming such a diet can be a perceived barrier. This study will investigate the cost of consuming a range of dietary patterns. Methods A cross-sectional analysis, where cost of diet was assigned to dietary intakes recorded using a Food Frequency Questionnaire. A mean daily diet cost was calculated for seven data-driven dietary patterns. These dietary patterns were given a healthiness score according to how well they comply with the UK Department of Health's Eatwell Plate guidelines. This study involved ∼35 000 women recruited in the 1990s into the UK Women's Cohort Study. Results A significant positive association was observed between diet cost and healthiness of the diet (p for trend >0.001). The healthiest dietary pattern was double the price of the least healthy, £6.63/day and £3.29/day, respectively. Dietary diversity, described by the patterns, was also shown to be associated with increased cost. Those with higher education and a professional or managerial occupation were more likely to consume a healthier diet. Conclusions A healthy diet is more expensive to the consumer than a less healthy one. In order to promote health through diet and reduce potential inequalities in health, it seems sensible that healthier food choices should be made more accessible to all.