Food Affordability Narrative and Examples

This table contains data on the average cost of a market basket of nutritious food items relative to income for female-headed households with children, for California, its regions, counties, and cities/towns. The ratio uses data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Census Bureau. The table is part of a series of indicators in the Healthy Communities Data and Indicators Project of the Office of Health Equity. An adequate, nutritious diet is a necessity at all stages of life. Inadequate diets can impair intellectual performance and have been linked to more frequent school absence and poorer educational achievement in children. Nutrition also plays a significant role in causing or preventing a number of illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, some cancers, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and anemia. At least two factors influence the affordability of food and the dietary choices of families – the cost of food and family income. The inability to afford food is a major factor in food insecurity, which has a spectrum of effects including anxiety over food sufficiency or food shortages; reduced quality or desirability of diet; and disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake. More information about the data table and a data dictionary can be found in the Attachments.