Modelling the cost differential between current and healthy diets according to household education level in Belgium

This study aims to estimate the cost differential between current and healthy diets, overall and by household education level. Data from the 2014-2015 Belgian National Food Consumption Survey and food prices from the 2014 GfK ConsumerScan panel were linked. The DIETCOST programme was used to model healthy, isocaloric healthy and current diets. For the reference household, the average daily diet cost was 20.1€ (95%CI: 19.9-20.4) for current diets, 20.9€ (95%CI: 20.6-21.2) for healthy isocaloric diets (+3.9% vs. the current diets) and 22.5€ (95%CI: 22.3-22.8) for healthy diets (+12.0%). In low-educated households, the cost of current and of healthy isocaloric diets was similar (19.2€ (95%CI: 19.0-19.5) vs. 19.3€ (95%CI: 19.0-19.6)), whereas in high-educated households, the cost of healthy isocaloric diets (22.0€; 95%CI: 21.8-22.3) was higher than the cost of current diets (21.2€; 95%CI: 20.9-21.4)). Though needing validation, this finding is valuable for interventions aimed at improving dietary habits in disadvantaged populations.