Study: Cheap Produce Improves Body Mass Index in Kids
This is a bit from left field, but the Rand Corporation--a non-profit think tank in California--did a study that looked at factors contributing to high body mass index scores in children. They looked at things like proximity to fast food restaurants. The research found one of the most important factors was the price of fruits and vegetables:
Lower real prices for vegetables and fruits were found to predict a significantly lower gain in BMI between kindergarten and third grade; half of that effect was found between kindergarten and first grade. Lower meat prices had the opposite effect, although this effect was generally smaller in magnitude and was insignificant for BMI gain over 3 years.
