Poor Struggle to Afford Good Food

"There's a price to be paid for cheap food -- and it could be people's health."

It is of no surprise to me that research proves a link between poverty, poor nutrition and chronic disease.
The public health specialists say evidence shows people on low incomes are killing themselves through poor food choices. Motivated by cost and convenience, poorer families are shopping on the cheap, leaving them more susceptible to health problems including obesity, diabetes, stroke and cancer.
Dr John Coveney, an international public health specialist at Flinders University in Australia, said a summary of research from around the world showed low-income families were missing out on vital nutrients.
"People on low-incomes are spending about 20 per cent of their weekly wage on food when figures show that to have a healthy food supply, you should spend around 33% of your average wage on food."
Research showed dietary factors accounted for about 30% of cancers in industrialized countries, making diet second only to smoking as a preventable cause of cancer.
According to a article, two out of every five deaths in New Zealand are due to nutrition- related factors including high cholesterol, high blood pressure and obesity.
Social determinants of health need to be looked when addressing public health issues. As any Public health concern education and orientation is needed; in this case individuals need to know where to get cheap nutritional foods and what can be substituted when certain foods are out of reach.
Though vital education alone will not solve the problem, community design must be part of the solution.
"Ensuring that supermarkets are accessible to low- income families, transport is accessible and housing costs aren't too high."
Here are the top ten super market foods:
CHEAP AND GOOD
Pasta, Rice, Apples, Green vegetables, Homemade soup mixes, Wholemeal bread, Trim milk, Tuna (canned), Yoghurt, and Cottage cheese.
CHEAP AND BAD
Fizzy drinks, Potato chips, Meat pies, Luncheon sausage, Cheap sausages, Cheap biscuits, Ready-made pizza, Chicken nuggets, Doughnuts and Chocolate.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle starts at the supermarket and change must occur world wide!