Assessing the Affordability of Nutrient-Adequate Diets

Abstract

The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. An objective of the series is to get the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. The papers carry the names of the authors and should be cited accordingly. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/World Bank and its affiliated organizations, or those of the Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent.

Dietary inadequacy in Tanzania is linked to the rising cost of nutritious foods and consumption of food-away-from-home

“…This study contributes to a growing contemporary literature on diet quality and accessibility in the Global South (e.g., Bai et al, 2021 ; Mahrt et al, 2019 ; Masters et al, 2018 ; Schneider et al, 2021 ). Many such studies are global in scope, although more recent country-specific work is also taking place.…”

“…Attempts to account for this paradox have drawn attention to the ‘cost of the diet’ – i.e., the monetary cost of acquiring a nutritionally adequate diet, accounting for location-specific food availability, cultural preferences, and prevailing prices ( Bai et al, 2021 ; Mahrt et al, 2019 ; Masters et al, 2018 ; Schneider et al, 2021 ; Webb et al, 2020 ). This growing body of work suggests that diets that provide adequate nutrition are unaffordable to a large share of the population in many LMIC.…”