For somebody who is struggling to make ends meet, choosing healthier foods may not be at the top of the priority list.  Yet perhaps it should be.  In this two-part article we will investigate how the way one thinks about money impacts food choices, and in turn how food choice can impact the way one thinks.

The correlation between economic status and nutritional status may not come as a surprise to most.  What might be surprising is that the explanation is not as simple as the commonly held belief that eating healthy costs more.  Two recent studies investigated the links between economic status and food choices.

One recent study published in BMC Public Health demonstrated a link between higher levels of indebtedness and obesity.  While the authors partially attributed the findings to the “high cost” of a healthy diet, they also noted a lack of awareness in the subject group that there are foods that are both healthy and budget friendly. 

Another link between income and obesity was identified by means of a survey among participants in the U.S. Food Stamp Program.  The study, conducted though a partnership of Ohio State University and the University of Michigan, found the Body Mass Index (BMI) of food stamp users was an average of 1.15 points higher than non-users, and growing at a faster rate.  Somewhat curiously, this observation was only noted in female users of the program.  This study appears in the current issue of Economics and Human Biology.

While it is commonly thought that healthy, nutritious foods are more expensive, this is only partly true and mostly myth. Take for example the price of potatoes.   A bag of potatoes at the grocery will cost about $1 per pound.  By contrast, potato chips run about $6 a pound and French fries from a fast food restaurant a whopping $8 per pound!  When you consider how many hours a low-income worker would need to work to be able to afford these more convenient, but less nutritious, options it makes a lot more financial sense to slice up some fresh potatoes and throw them in the oven.

Another part of the confusion stems from food education programs which focus too highly on what not to eat and choosing low-calorie foods rather than those that are nutrient-dense.  One group seeking to raise the bar on nutrition education is called the Nutrient Rich Foods Coalition.  The NRFC is currently working to develop scientifically validated tools that can help educate people on how to get more nutrition for their calories. Using their newly developed Nutrient-Rich Foods Index, the coalition hopes to change the way people think about food as it relates to their pocketbook.

This simple change in the thinking process- from “how many calories can I get for my dollar” to “how much nutrition can I get per calorie” – could completely revolutionize how people shop for groceries.  When thinking in these terms, $8 a pound for raw almonds seems like a much better deal than paying $2 for a ¼ pound of fries.

In general, the foods which present the best value for their relative nutritional benefits include seeds, nuts, eggs, beans, dairy and whole grain products. 

While better education about nutrition will certainly result in better food choices, this might be only part of the solution.    Other research which investigates the link between food and brain chemistry provides a compelling link between nutritional status, and the ability to make better choices.

In Part Two, we will examine how making better food choices can actually help to make improvements in one’s economic status, as well as in other areas of life.