Affordability of the EAT–Lancet reference diet: a global analysis
Summary: Background: The EAT–Lancet Commission drew on all available nutritional and environmental evidence to construct the first global benchmark diet capable of sustaining health and protecting the planet, but it did not assess dietary affordability. We used food price and household income data...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2020-01-01
|
| Series: | The Lancet Global Health |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214109X19304474 |
| _version_ | 1818352889854164992 |
|---|---|
| author | Kalle Hirvonen, PhD Yan Bai, MIB Derek Headey, PhD William A Masters, ProfPhD |
| author_facet | Kalle Hirvonen, PhD Yan Bai, MIB Derek Headey, PhD William A Masters, ProfPhD |
| author_sort | Kalle Hirvonen, PhD |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Summary: Background: The EAT–Lancet Commission drew on all available nutritional and environmental evidence to construct the first global benchmark diet capable of sustaining health and protecting the planet, but it did not assess dietary affordability. We used food price and household income data to estimate affordability of EAT–Lancet benchmark diets, as a first step to guiding interventions to improve diets around the world. Methods: We obtained retail prices from 2011 for 744 foods in 159 countries, collected under the International Comparison Program. We used these data to identify the most affordable foods to meet EAT–Lancet targets. We compared total diet cost per day to each country's mean per capita household income, calculated the proportion of people for whom the most affordable EAT–Lancet diet exceeds total income, and also measured affordability relative to a least-cost diet that meets essential nutrient requirements. Findings: The most affordable EAT–Lancet diets cost a global median of US$2·84 per day (IQR 2·41–3·16) in 2011, of which the largest share was the cost of fruits and vegetables (31·2%), followed by legumes and nuts (18·7%), meat, eggs, and fish (15·2%), and dairy (13·2%). This diet costs a small fraction of average incomes in high-income countries but is not affordable for the world's poor. We estimated that the cost of an EAT–Lancet diet exceeded household per capita income for at least 1·58 billion people. The EAT–Lancet diet is also more expensive than the minimum cost of nutrient adequacy, on average, by a mean factor of 1·60 (IQR 1·41–1·78). Interpretation: Current diets differ greatly from EAT–Lancet targets. Improving diets is affordable in many countries but for many people would require some combination of higher income, nutritional assistance, and lower prices. Data and analysis for the cost of healthier foods are needed to inform both local interventions and systemic changes. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T19:00:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-359903e30748492085e9a4e3bbc21006 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2214-109X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T19:00:49Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Lancet Global Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-359903e30748492085e9a4e3bbc210062022-12-21T23:34:41ZengElsevierThe Lancet Global Health2214-109X2020-01-0181e59e66Affordability of the EAT–Lancet reference diet: a global analysisKalle Hirvonen, PhD0Yan Bai, MIB1Derek Headey, PhD2William A Masters, ProfPhD3Development Strategy and Governance Division, International Food Policy Research Institute, Bole Sub-City, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaFriedman School of Nutrition, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USAPoverty Health and Nutrition Division, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington DC, USAFriedman School of Nutrition, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Economics, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA; Correspondence to: Prof William A Masters, Tufts University, Friedman School of Nutrition and Department of Economics, Boston, MA 02111, USASummary: Background: The EAT–Lancet Commission drew on all available nutritional and environmental evidence to construct the first global benchmark diet capable of sustaining health and protecting the planet, but it did not assess dietary affordability. We used food price and household income data to estimate affordability of EAT–Lancet benchmark diets, as a first step to guiding interventions to improve diets around the world. Methods: We obtained retail prices from 2011 for 744 foods in 159 countries, collected under the International Comparison Program. We used these data to identify the most affordable foods to meet EAT–Lancet targets. We compared total diet cost per day to each country's mean per capita household income, calculated the proportion of people for whom the most affordable EAT–Lancet diet exceeds total income, and also measured affordability relative to a least-cost diet that meets essential nutrient requirements. Findings: The most affordable EAT–Lancet diets cost a global median of US$2·84 per day (IQR 2·41–3·16) in 2011, of which the largest share was the cost of fruits and vegetables (31·2%), followed by legumes and nuts (18·7%), meat, eggs, and fish (15·2%), and dairy (13·2%). This diet costs a small fraction of average incomes in high-income countries but is not affordable for the world's poor. We estimated that the cost of an EAT–Lancet diet exceeded household per capita income for at least 1·58 billion people. The EAT–Lancet diet is also more expensive than the minimum cost of nutrient adequacy, on average, by a mean factor of 1·60 (IQR 1·41–1·78). Interpretation: Current diets differ greatly from EAT–Lancet targets. Improving diets is affordable in many countries but for many people would require some combination of higher income, nutritional assistance, and lower prices. Data and analysis for the cost of healthier foods are needed to inform both local interventions and systemic changes. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214109X19304474 |
| spellingShingle | Kalle Hirvonen, PhD Yan Bai, MIB Derek Headey, PhD William A Masters, ProfPhD Affordability of the EAT–Lancet reference diet: a global analysis The Lancet Global Health |
| title | Affordability of the EAT–Lancet reference diet: a global analysis |
| title_full | Affordability of the EAT–Lancet reference diet: a global analysis |
| title_fullStr | Affordability of the EAT–Lancet reference diet: a global analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Affordability of the EAT–Lancet reference diet: a global analysis |
| title_short | Affordability of the EAT–Lancet reference diet: a global analysis |
| title_sort | affordability of the eat lancet reference diet a global analysis |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214109X19304474 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kallehirvonenphd affordabilityoftheeatlancetreferencedietaglobalanalysis AT yanbaimib affordabilityoftheeatlancetreferencedietaglobalanalysis AT derekheadeyphd affordabilityoftheeatlancetreferencedietaglobalanalysis AT williamamastersprofphd affordabilityoftheeatlancetreferencedietaglobalanalysis |