Put Food in the Budget
2009-03-05
 Healthy eating is more expensive. That’s why Public Health Units are supporting the Put Food in the Budget campaign. This campaign calls on the provincial government to add a $100 monthly healthy food supplement to the Basic Needs Allowance for adults receiving social assistance.
Comparing the cost of healthy foods to the cost of “unhealthier” foods is like comparing apples and oranges. Try buying skinless chicken breasts and all the ingredients for a salad (lettuce, dressing, vegetables and cheese) for the same amount you’d spend on a frozen pizza and fries. Most shoppers will tell you that healthy eating is more expensive eating.
“We know that a healthy diet is the foundation for overall good health. Providing this healthy food supplement would be a definite step in the right direction”, explains Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, Medical Officer of Health of the Eastern Ontario Health Unit. “As we know, living in poverty can affect diet in a number of ways. Affordability affects the choice and amount of food that can be bought. Access to transportation to buy the healthy food, especially in rural areas, is often limited. Awareness of what makes a food choice healthy is not always easy to grasp, especially when there is so much misinformation out there”, adds Dr. Paul.
On Thursday March 5, the Eastern Ontario Health Unit and the Social Development Council held a press conference to discuss the health inequities that affect our specific population. Dr. Paul reported on the cost of nutritious foods in Cornwall and area and the health impacts on people who cannot meet their basic food requirements. Mehroon Kassam of the Social Development Council outlined the benefits of putting money in the hands of people who need it most.
For more information regarding the Put Food in the Budget campaign, please call the Eastern Ontario Health Unit at 613-933-1375 or at 1 800 267-7120 and ask for the Health Line. |
