North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit News Release ******************* Eating healthy is something many people in our community cannot afford, which puts them at higher risk of developing chronic health problems.
North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit News Release
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Eating healthy is something many people in our community cannot afford, which puts them at higher risk of developing chronic health problems. The latest information collected by the Health Unit shows it costs a family of four about $169.38 per week or $733.42 per month to eat healthy. This affects families differently, depending on their household income. For example:
A family of four in Ontario with an average monthly income of $5,781 after tax, means healthy eating costs the family 13% of their income. A family of four with a monthly “minimum wage” income of $2,279 after tax, means they spend 32% of the family budget on healthy eating A family of four who receives social assistance totalling $1,804 per month, means they use 41% of their family budget to eat healthy
“The reality for people relying on social assistance or working for minimum wage, is they just don’t have enough money for food after paying other bills. This is a serious concern because if they can’t afford to purchase healthy food for their family, the entire family is more vulnerable to developing chronic health problems,” says Erin Frank, Public Health Dietitian with the Health Unit.
When nutritious food is not affordable, health may be compromised in a number of ways. People are more likely to develop chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure and heart disease. Children who are malnourished are more likely to be absent from school and have trouble learning.
“There are things people can do to help stretch their food dollars to include more nutritious foods,” says Erin Frank. “For example, try recipes that call for meat alternatives like kidney beans, eggs, tofu and legumes. They tend to be much cheaper than meat and are extremely nutritious. Another tip is to avoid purchasing pre-made foods. It’s healthier and cheaper to cook from scratch with basic ingredients.”
The Nutritious Food Basket is an annual report costing out a set list of food items in local grocery stores. Information for the report is collected by Public Health Dietitians who visit grocery stores in their health unit districts to cost a list of food items that reflect Canada’s Food Guide and Canadian consumption patterns. The Nutritious Food Basket report raises awareness of the cost of healthy eating and supports the development of policies to increase access to healthy food in our communities.
The list of items in the Nutritious Food Basket does not include prepared convenience foods or necessary household non-food items, such as toothpaste and toilet paper, which are often purchased at grocery stores. It also assumes that people have the time, food preparation skills and equipment needed to cook with the relatively low-cost food staples from the Nutritious Food Basket list.
For more information, visit the Health Unit’s web site at www.healthunit.biz or call (705) 474-1400, ext 2356 or 1-800-563-2808.
