Response from Val Tarsuk - U of Toronto

I am not sure if this is true or not.  There are quite a few studies
suggesting that people of higher income have better nutrient intakes and
that they are more likely to demonstrate eating habits consistent with
dietary recommendations (i.e., higher intakes of fruits and vegetabes,
more whole grains, etc) when compared to lower income groups.  If we
look at data on food purchasing behaviours, low-income households spend
much less on food in absolute terms, but significantly more than higher
income households if food expenditures are expressed as a % of total
income. As you'd expect, low-income households typically buy
lower-priced items, so they probably end up purchasing more of some
nutrients per dollar spent.  They are much more economical shoppers in
many ways.  The only Canadian evidence of this that I am aware of though
is the work by Sue Horton and Cathy Campbell, published in the late
1980s and early 1990s, working with 1984 data (see 'Do the poor pay more
for food?' Food Market Commentary, 1990; 11:33-39).  There are a number
of more recent US studies documenting the economizing of low-income
households (e.g., Leibtag & Kaufman, 'Exploring food purchase behaviour
of low-income households.  How do they economize?' Agriculture
Information Bulletin No 747-07; June 2003).

Despite the economizing though, low income appears to limit the quality
and selection of foods purchased.  We have published a comparison of the
food expenditure patterns of low vs higher income Canadian households.
Our work indicates that access to milk products, fruits, and vegetables
is constrained in the context of low income - a finding that supports
the literature suggesting that individuals in lower income settings have
poorer dietary intakes than those with more wealth.  (See Kirkpatrick &
Tarasuk, Public Health Nutrition, 2003; 6(6): 589-597.)

 There are several very good papers on SES and diet out of the UK,
including 2 review articles that you might find useful - James et al,
'The contribution of nutrition to inequalities in health' BMJ, 1997;
314: 1545-1519. and Davey Smith & Brunner, 'Socioeconomic differentials
in health; the role of nutrition' Proceedings of the Nutrition Society
1997; 56: 75-90.   The research I have read all winds up suggesting that
despite their best efforts, low income households are at a disadvantage
nutritionally because financial constraints - sometimes, but not always,
mixed with neighbourhood-level problems of food retail access - limit
food access.

Sorry to have not been able to offer a very straightforward response to
your question, but I hope this is helpful.
val.

Cathleen Kneen wrote:

> Somebody in a recent conversation described a study on eating habits
> of poor people which showed that dollar for dollar, poor people buy
> more nutritious food than more well-to-do folks. Of course I cannot
> remember who it was who mentioned it, nor where the study can be
> found. Dennis Raphael suggested that you might be able to help.
>
> thanks in advance!
>
> Cathleen Kneen
> S-6, C-27, R.R. #1
> Sorrento, BC Canada, V0E 2W0
> phone/fax: (250) 675-4866
>
>
>
>
>
>

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