Are prices changes adequate to produce long-term dietary change: Lessons from Russia’s Economic Transition?

Type Journal Article - The FASEB Journal
Title Are prices changes adequate to produce long-term dietary change: Lessons from Russia’s Economic Transition?
Author(s)
Volume 24
Issue 1
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2010
Page numbers 559-10
URL http://www.fasebj.org/content/24/1_Supplement/559.10.short
Abstract
Altering of price subsidizes and taxation to promote a healthful diet are major tenets of nutrition-related food policy. In tobacco, taxation was a main component of smoking reduction campaigns, but public education and norm changing occurred concurrently. In the diet area, tax changes may be opposed by added food marketing. Russia offers an opportunity to test the role of price shifts and subsidy removal unaccompanied by programming. This study evaluates the effect of price change on percent total fat calories consumed and percent total fat from meat, dairy, and fats and determines if effects of price changes differed by income level. Using data from the Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey we evaluated dietary changes from 1994–2004 in low, middle, and high income groups. Following economic price shocks and soaring inflation, percent of calories from fat and percent of fat calories consumed from meat, dairy, and fats decreased. Despite continuing increasing costs, percent calories from fat and percent fat from meats and dairy rebounded with income improvements. Cost was inversely associated with percent total fat calories consumed from an item, but over time, had less of an effect on this relation. The rebound was quicker and more apparent in middle and high income groups. The effect of price change is likely short lived if not accompanied by social norm changes and educational programming. Funding T32MH07669403

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