Low income and living in a rural Australia makes healthy eating more expensive

Feb 26 2008

In one of the most extensive surveys conducted in Australia it has been found that where you live is a significant factor in how much you spend on healthy food.

The Healthy Food Basket Survey carried out by the Cancer Council NSW has found that low-income families in the North West now have to spend an average of 56% of their household budget to maintain a healthy diet, compared to 22% for a family on an average income.

It appears that remote areas of NSW are the hardest hit when it comes to affordability, quality and varieties available of fruit and vegetables.

Nutritionist Kathy Chapman says though it has been proven that a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most important lifestyle choices in preventing cancer, if you have a low income and also live in a remote part of the state it is much harder to follow such a lifestyle.

The study revealed that the cost of a healthy food basket for a family of six over a two week period varied from $337.29 in Blaxland, Blue Mountains to $519.71 in Murrurundi, in the Hunter region - a difference of 54% between the cheapest and most expensive healthy basket of food.

The study also found the cost of a healthy food basket varied within metropolitan and regional areas and even in Sydney there was a $150 difference between the cheapest and most expensive healthy food basket.

The Cancer Council says price differences within the same region indicates something other than transport costs are influencing prices and they are calling on the government to regularly monitor food prices to ensure all families are able to afford a healthy food basket.

The study also found for as little as $2.58 per day that an individual can meet their daily dietary recommendations of two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables and they advise consumers to look for cost effective fruits and vegetables such as bananas, oranges, beans, carrots, sweet potato, broccoli and cauliflower.

They also recommend shoppers choose fruit and vegetables that are in season in order to get the best value for money.

The Cancer Council NSW provides advice on the most cost effective way to consume the recommended daily intake of fruit and vegetables on their website www.cancercouncil.com.au