Diet cost, obesity and state intervention

The paper presents the results of a statistical analysis aimed at highlighting the negative relationship existing between price and high energy density for a basket of food items in Italy. The dataset consists of a monthly survey of food expenditure relative to 140 foods. Data collection was conducted by Nielsen and ISMEA on a sample of 8.000 Italian households, statistically representative of the overall Italian population The results show a growing price disparity between nutrientdense foods and less nutritious foods, characterized by declining prices and increasing consumption for high-calorie foods; the opposite applies for low calorie foods. Therefore, there might be an economic explanation for the poor dietary habits and the growing obesity in Italy in the considered period. An important conclusion of the paper is that diet cost may represent a barrier to the adoption of healthier diets and limit the impact communication and information policies.