Food is a need for everyone. But how many people can afford a healthy diet?

Visual Capitalist recently released an interactive map that shows the percentage of people that cannot afford a healthy diet across different parts of the world. According to the interactive, "A diet is deemed unaffordable if it costs more than 52% of a household's income." The cost of a healthy diet is the lowest-cost set of foods available that would meet requirements in dietary guidelines from governments and public health agencies. It's vital for students to understand how to budget for food--and, arguably, equally important for them to understand how to make sure they're planning for a healthy diet.

Questions:

• The interactive says a diet is unaffordable if it costs more than 52% of a household's income. What is your reaction to this?
• How does the cost of a healthy diet as a percentage of income vary across different regions of the world?
• What issues might arise in a country where a large percentage of the population can't afford a healthy diet?
• How might living in a rural versus urban area affect one's access to affordable, healthy food?
• If more than half of a household's income is spent on food, what other areas of spending might be affected?
• What actions can you take as an individual to support the availability of affordable, healthy food options in your community?

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Be sure to check out NGPF's Budgeting unit for lessons, activities, and more!

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Looking for more interactive resources? Be sure to check out the NGPF Interactive Library. 

About the Author

Ryan Wood

Ryan is the Partnerships and Adoption Manager for Next Gen Personal Finance’s midwest region. He brings his experience as a former teacher, curriculum designer, and sales and marketing professional to state organizations and school districts in supporting the implementation of their personal financial education efforts. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and earned his teaching credential from Saint Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota. He proudly taught at two rural high schools in Wisconsin before transitioning to curriculum design at NGPF, and is now excited to be on the front lines in delivering the best possible financial education in the midwest. He and his wife have three beautiful daughters, each of which inspire him to share the impact of being sound financial stewards both at home and as lifelong learners.

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