These researchers calculated the affordability of diets modelled on current (less healthy) eating patterns and on dietary guidelines of a healthy diet for the total population of New Zealand, Māori and Pacific households. Diets using common foods were developed for a household of four for each population group. The appropriateness of these diets was guided by nutrition expert panels. Each current (less healthy) diet was based on eating patterns identified from national nutrition surveys. Food prices were collected from retail outlets. Only the current diets contained alcohol, takeaways and discretionary foods. The modelled healthy diet was cheaper than the current diet for the total population (3.5% difference) and Pacific households (4.5% difference) and similar in cost for Māori households (0.57% difference). When the diets were equivalent in energy, the cost of the healthy diet exceeded that of the current diet for all population groups (by 8.5% for the total population, 13.3% for Māori, and 15.6% for Pacific households). For households on the minimum wage ($1,115/week), the diets required 33.9% of household income for the total population, 28.3% of household income for Māori, and 27.8% of household income for Pacifica; if receiving income support ($636/week), the diets required 52.8%, 44.2% and 43.3% of household income, respectively. After removing the 15% Goods and Services Tax (GST) from core foods, the healthy diet became more affordable than the current diet. Expert panels were invaluable in guiding the process for specific populations. Interestingly, both the healthy and current diets cost less in the urban area than in the rural area; the healthy diet cost 9.4% more and the current diet 7.6% more in rural areas.
