Modelling the cost differential between healthy and current diets: the New Zealand case study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Evidence on whether healthy diets are more expensive than current diets is mixed due to lack of robust methodology. The aim of this study was to develop a novel methodology to model the cost differential between healthy and current diets and apply it in New Zealand.

Methods

Prices of common foods were collected from 15 supermarkets, 15 fruit/vegetable stores and from the Food Price Index. The distribution of the cost of two-weekly healthy and current household diets was modelled using a list of commonly consumed foods, a set of min and max quantity/serves constraints for each, and food group and nutrient intakes based on dietary guidelines (healthy diets) or nutrition survey data (current diets). The cost differential between healthy and current diets was modelled

SUBMITTER: Vandevijvere S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5807767 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature