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Low-Income Equals High-Energy Diets Equals Low-Nutritional Value

Monday, April 8th, 2013

When you’re in an income rate, it seems like you just can’t win sometimes.  You have to live somewhere cheap, which usually means a bad neighborhood.  You have to cut corners, which usually means paying bills late and accruing late fees.  Also, you have to make the most of your grocery list, which means cheap food that isn’t necessarily good for you.  Unfortunately, health becomes a low priority when people are struggling to make ends meet, and a balanced diet is almost always the first thing that gets cut.

A study by the University of California and the Western Human Nutrition Research Center set out to determine if low-cost diets were affecting the quality of nutrition in low-income households.  It’s not too surprising that their results showed a positive correlation.  Specifically, they found that low-income women who bought low-cost foods had a diet that was energy dense but low on nutrition.  In other words, they bought a lot of carbs, quick prepackaged meals, and not too many fresh vegetables or meats.  The cost was inversely proportional to energy, meaning the more they spent, the lower energy and more nutritional their foods.  Consequently, those trying to save money and not spend much had diets severely lacking in the protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals they needed.

Because of the study, the research center is calling on the US Department of Agriculture to create policies that would make it easier for low-income families to buy nutritious foods.  In the meantime, these families are going to have to get creative with the way they get their next meal.  I’m a big supporter of community and backyard gardens, though I know not everyone has the time to maintain one.  Also, there are a plethora of coupons online these days, so put the kids to work planting veggies and hunting down discounts, and you’ll be a lot healthier in the long run.


– Yvonne S. Thornton, M. D., M. P. H.