Nutritious food basket report summary

Nutritious food basket report summary 1
Summary of The Board of Perth District Nutritious Food Basket
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Nutritious food basket report summary | 2
The target audience for the report is the Board of Health of the Perth District Health
Unit and their staff, employees of social services and advocacy groups. It is to be used in
defining the intent of the Nutritious Food Basket survey, increasing awareness of food
affordability issues and assist in advocating for adequate income and food for everyone
(Department, 2010).
The nutritious food basket survey is a measure of the budget of essential healthy
eating which represents present nutrition recommendations and standard food purchasing
patterns. In a typical family of four, with the adults estimated to be 31-50 years old with a
boy of about 14 to 18 years and a girl, 4 to 8 years, living in Perth county requires $169.55 a
week to acquire the minimum nutrition recommendations according to the 2010 results.
(Department, 2010)
These results assist the Health Unit in assessing how much social assistance and
minimum income wages is needed to meet essential household requirements. The data is then
used in addressing local poverty and hunger issues. More than half the people on social
assistance cannot afford to purchase food regularly hence creating food insecurity.
In the year 2004, 9.2% of households were found to be facing food insecurity with
lowest and lower middle categories being the most affected as well as those with children,
those depending on social assistance income or insurance from employment and those who
lived in rentals. Regardless, rural areas were found to be more food secure with 7.3% of the
population facing food insecurity. It is, however, likely that more of the population faces food
insecurity than that reported due to the sensitivity of responses of questionnaires.
(Department, 2010)
Food insecurity impacts the health of those who face it bringing about obesity given
the fact that people with low income opt for inexpensive foods that tend to be packed with