Can we afford to eat well?

Does healthy eating mean a bigger food bill, asks a study in the British Journal of General Practice (BJGP). Based on a diet diaries from children aged 5-16 attending childhood obesity clinics in primary and acute care, researchers compared the cost of current diet with a diet based on the Eatwell Plate, when purchased in budget and mid-range supermarkets, as well as high street purchase. The healthy diet was more expensive in all three contexts, although only marginally so. However, a poor diet based on purchase from a budget supermarket remained the cheapest option and thus could present a barrier to the most disadvantaged families. This issue of BJGP also includes a simulation study on counselling patients on dietary behaviour change and a feasibility study on transferring childhood obesity clinics from acute to primary care. Public health professionals and policy-makers from Victoria, Australia reflect on the experience of funding and managing community based obesity prevention initiatives.