Proof that eating healthily IS cheaper than junk food

CLAIMS that Britons are getting fat because junk food is cheaper than healthier options are debunked in a study published today.

A healthy diet of rice, fruit, vegetables, muesli, and chicken is cheaper gram for gram than burgers, crisps and ready meals.

Researchers said the £1 spent on a cheeseburger could buy one kilo of sweet potatoes, two kilos of carrots, or two and a half kilos of pasta.

The study comes from free market think-tank the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), which argues price is not a deciding factor for whether people eat healthily.

But health campaigners immediately hit back, calling the study nonsensical. They said supermarkets push unhealthy food through promotions, and junk food firms spend millions on advertising, often using popular children’s characters.

The IEA paper argues it is a myth to suggest obesity is a symptom of poverty and cheap junk food – and believes the proposed tax on fizzy drinks makes no sense.

Chris Snowdon, the report’s author, said: ‘A diet of muesli, rice, white meat, fruit and vegetables is much cheaper than a diet of Coco Pops, ready-meals, red meat, sugary drinks and fast food. A nutritious diet that meets government recommendations is more affordable than ever.’

It says there is a high rate of obesity among people on middle and high incomes, and rates among men are actually highest among middle income earners. And it claims the correlation between deprivation and obesity is only seen among women. The study was based on price comparisons for 78 products sold by two supermarkets, and in general, foods high in fat, sugar, salt and calories were more expensive. It compared junk food and healthy options in terms of price per gram, not price per calorie as in previous studies.

It also said that eating the Government’s recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day could cost as little as 30p.

But Malcolm Clark of the Children’s Food Campaign criticised the research, saying: ‘You have to wonder whether the IEA has actually ever set foot in a supermarket, especially with kids in tow.

‘On average, 40 per cent of the food UK shoppers buy is on promotion, and typically much of those special offers and end-of-aisle displays are for foods high in fat, salt or sugar.’