Higher costs of following a Mediterranean diet may deter healthier eating

The costs of following a Mediterranean diet are higher than those for a Western diet, and physicians should consider these extra costs when counseling patients to follow a healthier diet, according to researchers.

“Clinicians should be aware of this economical problem when counseling their patients about following a healthy diet because cost may be a prohibitive factor,” study author Maira Bes-Rastrollo, PharmD, PhD, in the department of preventive medicine and public health at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, told Endocrine Today. The data were published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health this week.

Bes-Rastrollo and colleagues evaluated 17,197 participants from a dynamic cohort of Spanish university graduates in a cross-sectional baseline assessment, and 11,195 of these participants in prospective follow-up analyses. The researchers conducted a 136-item food frequency questionnaire and a principal component analysis to assess dietary patterns, and calculated the average cost of food using official government data.

Using the principal component analysis, the researchers identified two dietary patterns — the Western diet, which consisted of high fat, sugar and red meat content, and the Mediterranean diet, which consisted of fish, olive oil, legumes, fruit and vegetables. They found that those participants who scored the highest on the Western dietary pattern spent less money on daily food costs compared with those who scored the lowest for this dietary pattern: –80 cents per 1,000 kcal (P<.001).

In contrast, those who scored the highest for the Mediterranean dietary pattern spent more money on daily food costs, with findings showing spending of +90 cents per 1,000 kcal (P<.001).

Participants with the highest cost of daily food consumption were older and had a higher BMI at baseline, low total daily energy intake and lower energy density, according to the researchers. These participants also tended to be women, snacked less between meals and were more likely to be former smokers. The energy profile of these participants revealed a lower intake of fat, alcohol and carbohydrates, and a higher intake of protein and fiber.

According to a press release, 31% of participants recorded a weight gain of more than 0.5 kg every year. After adjusting for certain factors, those who spent the most on food were 20% more likely put on weight regardless of dietary pattern.

Lopez CN et al. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2009;doi:10.1136/jech.2008.081208.